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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24853048">Kiss the Night Sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hologramwithyou/pseuds/hologramwithyou'>hologramwithyou</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arranged Marriage, Family Drama, M/M, Mail Order Brides, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rich Kim Namjoon | RM, Sort Of, Strangers to Lovers, excessive wealth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 07:26:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>49,883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24853048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hologramwithyou/pseuds/hologramwithyou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Namjoon doesn't mean to lie about being engaged to inherit an estate. Yoongi doesn't mean to end up engaged to one of Seoul's most eligible bachelors to help his family escape poverty. Neither of them means to get tangled up in such a farce. And yet...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Namjoon | RM/Min Yoongi | Suga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>2020 Namgi Spring Fest</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Intro: the players</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            Anonymous in the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/namgificfestspring20">namgificfestspring20</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: Claim this to write a self-prompt!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please see below if you would like to know who will be included in this universe and what their roles are :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Disclaimer: Anyone in this fic not listed below is either a fictional character I made up or a real person who I don't feel the need to describe or show because a) they're minor characters and b) you can just substitute them for a character in your head. (e.g. Sejin is one of BTS's real-life managers, but there's no need to know him, as he will be a very minor character in this, probably).</p><p>Some characters may share names with real life k-pop idols, but they are not based on that idol, it is just a coincidence that stems from my desire to have nice names for these characters (e.g. the Kim Minseok from this story is not the Minseok of Exo, I would never make Xiumin a villain!)*</p><p> </p><p>Please note that this list will be updated as we go along and the storyline progresses. Also, photos might change, this was done super quickly. Now that I've said that, let's get into it!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kim Namjoon - Son of Kim Seungjae &amp; Im Eunji, brother of Kim Minah, inheritor of the family manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Min Yoongi - Son of a widowed mother, wants to find a way out poverty for his family</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Kim Seokjin - Namjoon's cousin, works as an actor, son of Kim Joohyuk and Kim Chaewon, brother of Kim Minseok</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Kim Taehyung - Namjoon's cousin, works as a model, son of Kim Hyunsoo and Yoon Soojung, brother of Kim Haein</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Jeon Jungkook - Namjoon's youngest cousin, son of Jeon Taeho and Kim Nari</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Jung Hoseok - Namjoon's childhood best friend, works as a lawyer, parents are a bestselling author and a luxury fashion house CFO, has an older sister</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Park Jimin - Kim Taehyung's best friend </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Park Sodam - Yoongi's neighborhood friend who watches over him from her job at the library</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Lee Jihoon - Yoongi's younger cousin and the person he's closest to outside his brother</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Yoo Jeongyeon - Housemaiden at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Chou Tzuyu - Housemaiden at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Chittaphon "Ten" Leechaiyapornkul - Librarian at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Jung Jaehyun - Assistant estate manager and personal shopper for the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Lee Hyun - Vintner for the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Myoui Mina - Chef's assistant at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Qian Kun - Vintner's apprentice at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Lee Jooheon - Driver and garage caretaker at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Im Changkyun - Driver and garage caretaker at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Yoo Kihyun - Pâtissier at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Mark Lee - One of the new stable hands at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Johnny Suh - Security staff at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Kim Chungha - Tour guide and gift shop attendant at the green tea plantation</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Lee Sunmi - 1/2 of the green tea plantation's production managers</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Kim Hyuna - 1/2 of the green tea plantation's production managers</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Kim Jungwoo - Groundskeeper's apprentice at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Moon Taeil - Groundskeeper's apprentice at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Lee Taeyong - New project developer at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Wong Yukhei - New security hire at the manor</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Lee Donghyuck - Taeyong's baby brother</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Manor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Rain begins to patter against the tinted windows as the city blocks become suburbs and high rises give way to something less gargantuan. His breath fogs up the cold window as he sighs. Seoul has been home for quite some time, leaving it feels like losing a limb, like he’s stumbling away from an intangible comfort. Especially now.</p><p> </p><p>“Myungsoo, I’d rather you didn’t drive in these conditions,” he remarks.</p><p> </p><p>The rain hits the windows steadily, chilling the glass and offering a cool surface on which to lay his head. He’s had a headache all day, even as the rest of him became numb, since he heard the news this morning.</p><p> </p><p>“Your mother’s orders, sir,” is the only reply he gets from the man.</p><p> </p><p>Myungsoo has been with the family since before Namjoon was born. In some ways, he’s more a product of the family than the oldest child of Kim Seungjae and Im Eunji. Myungsoo has what Namjoon’s parents believe he lacks: loyalty. In the thirty-seven years he’s worked for the Boseong Kims, Myungsoo has never taken a sick day or a vacation.</p><p> </p><p>“What reason could she possibly have for us to be speeding down to Jeollanam-do in these conditions? He’s already dead,” he intones. The coat and smart sweater he’s wearing left him chilled in Seoul, but Boseong is less frigid and will likely have no rainfall. The only thing truly cold in Boseong in late October is the Kim family.</p><p> </p><p>When he’d stepped out of his luxury office building this afternoon, the rain had been pouring down in buckets already. The evening sky is brutally dark with the downpour. Fitting, almost.</p><p> </p><p>“In times of tragedy, people find strength in numbers, master Kim,” Myungsoo offers. “Family matters most of all, right now.” Namjoon considers this as the rain continues to collide with his window, a sound not nearly as soothing now as it normally is.</p><p> </p><p>His head thumps against the glass of the rear-seat window once more. The cool glass isn’t enough to temper the flames of resentment that emerge from the knot in his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you’re right. Maybe she does want to see me as soon as possible to grieve… together…”</p><p> </p><p>“Sir?” calls Myungsoo, as Namjoon trails off in favor of gripping onto the loose thread hanging out of his seatbelt, the only imperfection in this immaculate vehicle, the only one his parents have overlooked. Eagle-eyed as they may be, they miss more than they think. He pulls and pulls, but the thin piece of string never breaks free.</p><p> </p><p>“Or maybe she just wants me home so they can set up a game-plan before the rest of the family comes for the funeral.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s quite a cynical view of things, master Kim.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cynics are just disappointed idealists, Myungsoo,” he reminds the much older man.</p><p> </p><p>“Be that as it may, sir, the rest of your family is already present in Boseong. They are waiting on you, sir,” the family driver replies, sparing a glance at him through the rearview mirror before taking a right onto a road out of the city.</p><p> </p><p>“Into the nest of vipers we go, then,” Namjoon half-smirks, then closes his eyes and lets sleep overtake him for the rest of the journey.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As the car pulls up to the manor, Namjoon is once again taken by a sense of astonishment.</p><p> </p><p>The family manor, Noksaek Cheonguk, with its wrought iron gates protecting the compound and surrounded by enormous trees that are older than Namjoon’s father, is an impenetrable fortress to the outside world. A private oasis within a calm county in one of the most peaceful and carefully preserved corners of South Korea.</p><p> </p><p>It almost brings tears to his eyes to think that the man responsible for maintaining this, the crown jewel sitting atop the Boseong Kims’ fortune, is no longer living.</p><p> </p><p>He thanks Myungsoo as the man opens his door, and steps onto the freshly manicured lawn, which looks as perfectly verdant as ever. The weather here doesn’t mar their family’s property, nature cannot win against their riches. No doubt, his parents have been running a tight ship these past few months, looking after the family estate while his grandfather was in and out of the hospital.</p><p> </p><p>“Namjoon!” a female voice calls from the top of the steps leading into the house.</p><p> </p><p>“Minnie,” he smiles, genuinely so. His dear sister, who has been away in Edinburgh, looks so much more like an adult now. Namjoon’s heart aches at having been away from her for so long.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi oppa!” she smiles and throws herself at him when he reaches her.</p><p> </p><p>“How are you, Minnie?” he asks, “How’s the food in Europe?”</p><p> </p><p>She rolls her eyes. “Bland as ever. You’d think that after conquering the world for some spices, they might’ve decided to incorporate them into the local cuisine. At least the restaurants in immigrant neighborhoods have food that's edible.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiles at his sister’s candor, a genuine smile that reaches his eyes. They hug for a second longer and then walk inside to face the rest. Minah locks her arm in his and leads him further into the house, past the open-plan common areas and past the staircases that lead, respectively, to the wine cellar and bedrooms.</p><p> </p><p>“Mum’s anxious to see you,” she explains.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course she is, it’s the day she’s been waiting for since I was a child,” he scoffs.</p><p> </p><p>Minah offers only a roll of her eyes and a sigh. “You really have to stop antagonizing them, you know. They’ve made mistakes, but they love you, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.”</p><p> </p><p>“Love means something different to people like mom and dad than it does to me.”</p><p> </p><p>They arrive at a hallway that branches off into two directions, one to the staff’s quarters, the other to grandfather Kim’s study. The large, handcrafted oak doors that lead into their grandfather’s most prized space are dusty, as if the cleaning staff were told to keep away, and Namjoon has the distinct impression that even in sickness their grandfather let no one come near his space.</p><p> </p><p>It almost feels like a violation of the man’s trust to enter now, but there are urgent matters to be discussed that have been put off for far too long. He walks in to find nearly the whole family there.</p><p> </p><p>Unlike preceding generations of Boseong Kims, Grandpa Kim was a virile and hot-blooded man who fathered no less than eight children with his wife. The jury is still out on whether he ever had affairs, but Namjoon knows there is a man living near Yulpo beach who looks like the spitting image of Uncle Joohyuk. He’d rather not unpack that can of worms, though. His grandfather was a good man who treasured his wife, even if he was a bit sneaky and reckless. It hurts Namjoon now to think of him in the past tense.</p><p> </p><p>Of the eight children fathered by Grandpa Kim, only five survived past childhood, with Namjoon’s father Seungjae becoming the eldest by default, after the eldest daughter succumbed to polio. Seungjae was followed by two sons who died of tuberculosis and drowning, respectively, before either reached their third birthday.  His aunt Sora and uncle Hyunsoo thus became the second and third children. Uncle Joohyuk and aunt Nari came last, the penultimate and youngest rounding out the siblings.</p><p> </p><p>They’re nearly all here (minus Sora and Joohyuk, though the former’s husband is here) and Namjoon marvels at the fact that they could all show up for the reading of a will and testament but not for Chuseok earlier this year. He shouldn’t. Because they’ve all proven at one point or another how little they care about anything that approximates family. All they know is loyalty to money and power.</p><p> </p><p>He lets Minah lead him deeper into the room and accepts hugs and pats on the back from everyone, including his cousins Taehyung and Seokjin. No doubt they have been called for exactly the same reason he was. Every nuclear unit in this Kim family is hedging their bets in one way or another. He’s happy to see his cousins regardless, though not as happy about the circumstances. Aunt Nari, his favorite, gives him the tightest hug of all. </p><p> </p><p>The family settles into a lightly somber atmosphere, everyone reminiscing about Grandpa Kim while trying to pretend they’re not holding their collective breath. At one point, Uncle Joohyuk arrives with apologies for being stuck in traffic, leading Aunt Chaewon to a seat next to Namjoon’s mother.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, when it feels like all possible topics of discussion have been exhausted between a family that doesn’t truly care for each other, the man of the hour arrives. Namjoon’s mother calls one of the house staff to fetch aunt Sora from one of the guest bedrooms, and she arrives looking mildly flushed as if from a fever.</p><p> </p><p>Moon Kyungtae, the family lawyer since Namjoon was in diapers, is a kind man despite of his chosen profession. He has a face that always looks troubled to some degree, like he forgot to turn the stove off at home. Today he looks especially troubled.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, Kim family.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hello Mr. Moon. Please, take a seat here.” Namjoon’s father leads the man to Grandpa Kim’s desk.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for welcoming me into your home. I can’t say I’ve ever read a will before the funeral has taken place, but there’s a first time for everything. Anyway, this shouldn’t take too long. I’m sure you’re all more than ready to get this over with and get back to your grieving.” Namjoon manages to conceal a snort, but just barely, huffing quietly. His mother notices, though, and sends him a cold look.</p><p> </p><p>Mr. Moon is one of Grandpa Kim’s most trusted advisors and confidants, being a lawyer and executor to many families similar to Namjoon’s. There was never any question about who he would choose to oversee his affairs after his death.</p><p> </p><p>“Now, as you all probably know, Kim Taewook was a fastidious man in every aspect of his life.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me about it,” cousin Minseok gripes under his breath. His father makes a noise of agreement. Namjoon glares.</p><p> </p><p>“First and foremost, Mr. Kim’s will begins with all of the legal necessities listed in your standard will that make it a binding legal document. I have reader copies available at my office for anyone in the family who wishes to read the document in its entirety. Your father was a verbose man, I’ll tell you that. After that section, he goes on to an enumeration of his material posessions. This is the part I’m sure you’re all waiting to hear. As stated in the will of Kim Taewook: ‘I bequeath all of my wife’s jewelery to my two daughters, Kim Sora and Kim Nari, barring any piece of jewelry that has already been set aside for my granddaughters Kim Minah and Kim Haein as my wife and I previously discussed.’ Here your father has listed out all the jewelry and who shall possess each item.” he says.</p><p> </p><p>Minah makes a pleased little noise next to Namjoon. She’s been eyeing Grandma Kim’s pearls since she was promised them as a child and then given them in Grandma's will, but aunt Sora pitched a fit and the subject was tabled to be picked up at a later date. Now with this document there’s no one to contest her inheritance.</p><p> </p><p>“He continues, ‘To my eldest son, Seungjae, I bequeath all of my real estate properties within the greater Seoul area. This includes all my properties in Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu, the exception to this being any property still listed under my name but currently controlled by any of my other children, those properties shall remain in the hands of those who have them now. Ownership shall legally be transferred to them.’”</p><p> </p><p>Sighs are heard around the room. Uncle Joohyuk tosses back his drink and burps messily. Namjoon rolls his eyes. He glances over to his parents and find his father gripping his mother’s knee, both of their faces sporting poorly-hidden grins.</p><p> </p><p>This bodes well for them. If Grandpa Kim left them everything he had left in Seoul, there is a great possibility Noksaek will transfer to them as well. Namjoon doesn’t know what to think about that.</p><p> </p><p>“At the request of my youngest son Joohyuk, ownership of all my automobiles shall be transferred to him. All artwork in my collection and in various storage spaces shall be transferred to my daughter Sora’s possession, as per her request….”</p><p> </p><p>Mr Moon drawls on, enumerating every single item on a long list of worldly possessions his grandfather had to distribute. Uncle Hyunsoo gets every property in London and Singapore as well as the family yacht, while aunt Nari inherits everything in New York and France. Uncle Joohyuk adds Jeju island properties and the famly collection of rare artifacts to his new collection of cars, while Aunt Sora inherits grandfather’s Tokyo and Spanish real estate. Everyone gets to keep the lavish high rises they maintain in Seoul. Yada yada yada…</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon could fall asleep. Everyone is getting what they want, but there’s one prize for which they’re all holding their breath. Even Minah and Haein’s eyes are twitching the longer Mr. Moon speaks. Everyone is eager to know.</p><p> </p><p>“To my children and grandchildren, I bequeath my personal fortune. To each of my children I leave a sum, no less than…”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon isn’t interested in this part. Or any of it at all, really, He would prefer a million times over to have his grandfather here, living and breathing, ready to tell off the family for their materialism. “Things are just things and money is just false security,” he’d often say to a younger Namjoon.</p><p> </p><p>“’Finally, with regard to this manor,’” Mr. Moon begins, his voice almost a whisper. He too is aware of what this particular item on the list is worth to the Kims.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone’s heads tilt up, waiting with bated breath.</p><p> </p><p>“‘Noksaek Cheonguk and all four hundred acres of green tea fields, as well as the green tea management offices and tourism center that come with it, shall stay in possession of my family for so long as they wish to keep it...It is my personal wish that ownership of the manor be transferred to my grandson Kim Namjoon, effective immediately provided he meets one of two conditions: be either twenty-five years of age as of this reading or be married.”</p><p> </p><p>No one speaks when Mr. Moon finishes. No one looks at anyone, no one even dares to utter a sound. And then uncle Hyunsoo throws his glass of brandy against the antique mirror hanging across the room.</p><p> </p><p>“Appa!” yells cousin Taehyung. The room descends into chaos as everyone begins to shout.</p><p> </p><p>“This can’t be right, Minseok is the oldest grandchild and he’s the only one married,” Aunt Chaewon rationalizes.</p><p> </p><p>Seokjin and Haein whisper to each other while staring at Namjoon. Minseok glares with all his might at the guy who just inherited what was supposed to earn the eldest Kim cousin triple digit millions in a luxury real estate sale.</p><p> </p><p>“What does it matter? He’s going to sell it. We all agreed that would be best. Sell it and split the profits evenly,” Aunt Sora says crossly.</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t just force my adult son to go along with a plan like that,” Namjoon’s father laments.</p><p> </p><p>“Namjoon can’t possibly take over the manor, he lives in Seoul and he does not meet either of those conditions,” his own mother interjects, “My husband and I are prepared to stand in if need be, we are his parents after all,” she tells Mr. Moon, who shakes his head.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon wonders what it must be like to have so little regard for your own child’s life, and so much of it for things like real estate and money. He closes his eyes for a moment, wishing for the comfort that comes with the blackness of eyes shut.</p><p> </p><p>Aunt Nari, his favorite, is the only one to come and offer him a hug. “Oh, Namjoonie,” she says.</p><p> </p><p>He accepts her hug. “Congratulations, honey, you deserve this.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, auntie.”</p><p> </p><p>Nari’s two-year old son Jungkook, her pride and joy, offers him a wet kiss as Namjoon hoists him up into his arms. He’s big now, and Namjoon knows that despite his crook of a father’s ways, the little boy is still as sweet and innocent as the first time Namjoon met him.</p><p> </p><p>This is exactly what he’d hoped would never happen. This manor is the most important piece of the inheritors’ puzzle. The crown jewel. It’s a historic site in Boseong, and it’s worth a pretty penny. Whoever inherited it was always going to be the winner. Everyone counted on it being his father, or even Minseok, despite his penchant for being as much of an insufferable asshole as humanly possible. No one really expected Namjoon to get it, even though that was exactly what he’d been raised to do. Namjoon was born and raised by his parents to sway his grandfather in their favor.</p><p> </p><p>His parents have returned to their seats, now offering small, hesitant smiles his way. They’re already working as a team, he can tell. They’re trying to put up an inoffensive front, despite his mother’s words earlier. Namjoon is the one holding all the cards right now.</p><p> </p><p>Outside the sky is gray, inside of Namjoon is a storm.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr. Moon,” Namjoon calls. The chatter in the room stutters to a halt. He needs to know the answer to the question they all have.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Namjoon?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not married or twenty-five years old yet. My grandfather must have included some kind of provision for that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why, yes. He actually did.” Mr. Moon moves his finger further down the last page of the will.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait,” Minseok interjects. “If Namjoon doesn’t get Noksaek, there has to be some kind of a line of succession, right? Who’s next?”</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, your grandfather did not include any such list. This isn’t a monarchy, Kim Minseok. If you’d let me read the property ownership arrangement, I’ll gladly explain,” he says dryly.</p><p> </p><p>“Regarding the possibility of Kim Namjoon’s single or underage status, Taewook created a property arrangement document that states: ‘Should my grandson Kim Namjoon be unmarried or under the age of twenty-five at the time of this reading, he shall have 60 days as of the reading of this will to either contract marriage or forfeit ownership of the manor. Ownership will then be transferred to a member of the family of Namjoon’s choosing with the stipulation that they also be 1) over the age of twenty-five or married and 2) legally allowed to own property.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s father heaves a sigh of relief. Namjoon isn’t getting married in two months. There’s no way. And Minah is younger than him and single. His parents’ chances of inheriting the manor just got substantially bigger.</p><p> </p><p>“‘If Namjoon chooses not to transfer ownership to anyone in the family, which he is entitled to do, the manor will be gifted to the county of Boseong with the express purpose of being repurposed into a museum.’”</p><p> </p><p>That wipes the smile off his father’s face. His mother grips her husband’s hand tightly.</p><p> </p><p>Minah and Haein look put out, neither of them being eligible. Seokjin is the only cousin who both fits the description and isn’t an asshole, but he frowns when Namjoon looks over at him. Clearly he’s guessed what his cousin is thinking and wants no part of it. Seokjin is sensible, Namjoon will give him that.</p><p> </p><p>There are no options that don’t lead to the family losing Noksaek. Either Namjoon gives it to a family member who will undoubtedly try to sell it, or it gets gifted to the public. Namjoon is fucked…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>...or maybe not.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr. Moon, what if I’m engaged?”</p><p> </p><p>That isn’t the right thing to say. It’s not the right thing to do either. But Namjoon will be damned if he lets this place go. He deserves at least this little piece of his grandfather’s life’s work. He’s the only one in this room who really understands what is at stake. Regardless of whether he wants to own this place or not, Grandpa Kim trusted him to be the one who keeps it in the family.</p><p> </p><p>The room explodes into chaos for a second time.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s lying!” growls Minseok, nearly foaming at the mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re what?!” Minah questions. “Who the hell are you marrying?”</p><p> </p><p>“Neither the will nor the property arrangement state what to do in such a case. Although, if you’re already engaged, I imagine it would be quite easy for you to go to any city hall and obtain a marriage license,” Mr. Moon offers calmly, but his eyes betray a sparkle that makes it clear he’s happy to hear this news.</p><p> </p><p>“When did this happen?” his mother frowns. “Namjoon, why were we not informed? And who is this person you’re thinking of marrying? Why haven’t we met them yet?”</p><p> </p><p>Uncle Joohyuk gets up to pour himself another drink, against his wife’s wishes. Namjoon ignores everyone in favor of asking Mr. Moon another question.</p><p> </p><p>“My partner wished for it to be a long engagement. Surely, it shouldn’t be any problem to allow me to have ownership while we plan the wedding?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, Namjoon. As the will states, you must be married within sixty days or risk forfeiting your ownership of the manor.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not forfeiting,” he decides then and there.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon is going to fight for this place. He just has to figure out how to do it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Solemn Reunions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>No Yoongi just yet, but I promise he'll be showing up veeeerrrrryyyy soon :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You realize you’re not actually engaged, right?” Hoseok asks.</p><p><br/>
He’d come down from Seoul as soon as Namjoon called. Both for the funeral and to talk some sense into him. His words, not Namjoon’s.</p><p> </p><p>The air around the house has been tense since the will-reading. Minah and their cousins (minus Minseok and Jungkook) have been supportive but still on edge. Everyone’s parents are upset and not bothering to hide it.</p><p> </p><p>“You can’t marry someone that doesn’t exist. That’s not how life works.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon finishes doing up his tie and turns to Hoseok.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I know. But if I don’t get married in the next sixty—well, fifty-nine now—days, the manor is going to be turned into the most boring museum in Korea, and I can’t let that happen.”</p><p> </p><p>“Damn, you’re not even gonna consider giving it to your parents? That’s ice cold, dude.”</p><p> </p><p>“They’d have to actually act like parents for that to happen, and I doubt they plan to start now. Plus, they’d sell it like the rest of them. Why do you think they were here for months while my grandfather was sick? They were taking stock of their next real-estate sale.”</p><p> </p><p>“So what are you going to do? Don’t tell me you’re going to call up your ex and try to work things out,” Hoseok scoffs.</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck no, things between Jennie and I are done. I’m not going back to that.”</p><p> </p><p>Hoseok scoffs, “So what’s your game plan? Hire an actor? Marry a desperate chaebol? Get on Tinder?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon glares.</p><p> </p><p>“Fine, Grindr?” Hoseok asks, as if that’s any less ludicrous.</p><p> </p><p>They start heading out toward the spot on the property where the funeral service will take place. Minah greets them and gives each one a hug when she sees them and leads them to the plastic chairs that have been temporarily set out.</p><p> </p><p>Hoseok rubs his hands together. The rain had followed Namjoon down from Seoul, but miraculously let up this morning. The weather is still chilly, though, and the clouds are getting darker by the minute. Namjoon leans over to answer his question from earlier.</p><p> </p><p>“It can’t be that hard. I’m a rich, eligible bachelor with a great inheritance and I don’t look like a troll.”</p><p> </p><p>“And modest as well,” Hoseok snickers.</p><p> </p><p>“The time for modesty was yesterday, before I found out I was on a strict deadline, Hobi.”</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, you could always find someone online.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon gives him the most dead-eyed look he can muster.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t mean on dating apps!” Hoseok defends.</p><p> </p><p>“I tell you I need to get married to inherit the manor and you suggest I hit up the internet? Are you being serious right now?” he hisses.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I wouldn’t dare joke at a funeral. And I was thinking less online dating and more like a mail-order bride type thing, to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>It’s an even more ludicrous idea than online dating. First of all, mail-order brides are usually victims of sex trafficking, so <em>hard pass</em> on that. Second of all, buying people is so illegal, it’s not even funny, so <em>extremely hard pass</em> on that. Thirdly, where would Namjoon even find that kind of service if he wanted to (which he does not)? He’s read the exposés on the Dark Web. He’s not going to go down that rabbit hole, thank you very much.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon wants to respond with a bitingly sarcastic comment, but a stern glance from cousin Seokjin across the aisle stops him in his tracks. Right. This is a funeral.</p><p> </p><p>It doesn’t feel like one, though. Out of all the immediate and extended family present here today, along with family friends and people close to his grandfather, only about a handful of people are crying, with four of them being grandchildren and one of those grandchildren (Jungkook) undoubtedly crying for reasons other than the loss of a loved one.</p><p> </p><p>(From what Namjoon can see, he doesn’t want to be held by his father and is crying and reaching out for his mother. Namjoon can’t blame him.)</p><p> </p><p>Neither his parents nor anyone else here seems overcome with the kind of grief that weighs heavily on his heart.</p><p> </p><p>A clap of thunder startles all of the mourners and the priest reading the rites. Namjoon’s grandfather wasn’t even religious. It all feels like a damn sham. Thunder cracks above them as they move to stand by the casket, but the dark clouds eventually pass. When it gets lowered into the ground, Namjoon can’t even blame the rain for the water running down his cheeks—it won’t rain at all for the rest of the day.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When all is said and done, Namjoon feels relieved. Hoseok apologizes to the family for having to leave early and Namjoon almost tacks himself on to Hoseok’s plans to return to Seoul. But he can’t.</p><p> </p><p>He’s supposed to inherit this place. He needs to be as strong as his grandfather expected him to be.</p><p> </p><p>He runs into Taehyung and Seokjin, on his way to greet the house staff, who he’s been meaning to see since yesterday</p><p> </p><p>“Hey hyung, how are you feeling?” asks Taehyung, offering a fist bump and a hug.</p><p> </p><p>“Like utter shit, to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>“You look it, too,” Seokjin snarks, but his smile is genuine and he rubs Namjoon’s back like the older brother Namjoon sometimes wishes he had.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you blame me? I feel like I’m walking on eggshells today. Everyone I see is either giving me the stink eye or talking about me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, it’s been pretty intense. The things the family is saying about you, hyung…” Taehyung trails off, wincing.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, we all knew that whoever inherited the manor would have to put up with that kind of vitriol,” Seokjin points out.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s one thing to expect something and another thing completely to actually experience it.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah, but look at the bright side, Joonie. If you get to keep the house, you’re set for life. Keep it or sell it, its going to be worth a lot in the coming years.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I kinda wish I’d sucked up more to grandpa. Then I’d be the one getting this place and not Namjoonie hyung,” Taehyung jokes.</p><p> </p><p>They all chuckle at that, but a part of Namjoon still worries. He can’t help it.</p><p> </p><p>“And you’re not upset by that? Either of you?”</p><p> </p><p>“By what? You inheriting this place? We all knew it would happen at some point. You were always Grandpa Kim’s favorite grandchild. Personally, I think Minseok hyung was wasting his time trying to ingratiate himself. Your parents wasted their breath as well. It was you. You were always his golden grandchild,” Seokjin states matter-of-factly.</p><p> </p><p>There’s no resentment in his tone, just a calm demeanor that makes it clear he doesn’t care what happens one way or another. That’s part of the reason Namjoon likes his older cousin the best out of all of them. Seokjin isn’t the type to covet or partake in greed.</p><p> </p><p>“True. He always used to take Namjoonie hyung everywhere he went. I was kind of jealous of you at the time, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really, Tae?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I felt the same way. You were so far ahead of us, there was never any point in competing. Grandpa Kim was never going to name a different heir. It was always meant to be you, Joonie.”</p><p> </p><p>“I…I guess I never realized that. I’m sorry if I hurt you guys growing up. It wasn’t my intention to be his favorite. I swear I never meant for you guys to be excluded.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you kidding?” Taehyung smiles.  “I was always Grandma’s favorite grandchild. It would’ve been unfair to be his too. You don’t need to apologize for any of that stuff. It was years ago.”</p><p> </p><p>Seokjin snorts at the younger. “Tae’s right, you know. We’ve all had time to grow up and become better people. To be frank, I’m the most well-adjusted person in this family and any inferiority complexes I had as a teen are gone, thanks to the power of having an amazingly handsome face that everyone wants.”</p><p> </p><p>“Still as humble and self-effacing as ever, hyung” Namjoon teases.</p><p> </p><p>He likes this. They have an easy rapport between them after everything. It’s like the three of them have lost the tension that used to simmer below the surface of every interaction. They’re all so much more comfortable in their own skin now, less willing to be used as pawns by their own parents. They’ve grown up from the gangly limbs and unwarranted resentment.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you stopped to say hello to Chef and Heeyeon noona?” Seokjin asks.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon shakes his head.</p><p> </p><p>“At all? We’ve been here for days!” Seokjin reprimands.</p><p> </p><p>“I got here yesterday! And I was saving them for last. I know the waterworks are going to come out in full force the minute they see me,” Namjoon defends himself.</p><p> </p><p>Taehyung laughs gleefully. “You know you’re going to be the one crying hyung, why front? We all know you’re a softie.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon tries to share a look with Seokjin, but the older just smiles teasingly.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, did Tae lie, Joonie? You’re as soft as the inside of a Choco Pie. I know you’re gonna bawl your eyes out as soon as you see everyone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Screw you guys. Hey, Tae, where’s Jimin?” he redirects.</p><p> </p><p>At the mention of his best friend, Taehyung bites his lip and says, “He wanted to come but work held him back. You know how it is.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t try to change the subject Joon-ah, let’s go back to how you’re going to bawl your eyes out in a few minutes,” Seokjin teases.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon doesn’t know how to dispute that factual statement, so he settles for flipping his cousins the bird and walks away. He can still hear their cackles though, the bastards.</p><p> </p><p>When he steps into the house, he side steps all the guests and family in the ballroom and makes his way to the back of the house, where the house staff likes to congregate at times like this. No person with a net worth of over a million dollars would ever step foot inside the kitchen during a party. His mother taught him that.</p><p> </p><p>Sure enough, as soon as he steps inside he spots Heeyeon, the housekeeper, and Junho, the Manor’s chef, along with a few familiar faces and some new ones.</p><p> </p><p>“There he is! I was wondering when my sweet boy would show up to see me!”</p><p> </p><p>“Noona, you have to stop calling me that. Tae and Jin hyung will get jealous,” he smirks.</p><p> </p><p>Chef barks out a laugh, “Oh please, she calls TaeTae her baby and Jinnie is her handsome boy. You’re not special.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon pretends to pout, but still opens his arms for a hug. Heeyeon is one of the few people he trusts and confides in here besides the man they’re burying. In many ways, she has been more of a mother to him than his own. Namjoon credits her with making sure he and his cousins (minus Minseok) are decent people.</p><p> </p><p>“You remember everyone? You haven’t been back in years! What are you eating, you look like a string bean!” Heeyeon chides, taking a good look at him. As if he’s been missing and she wants to get a mental picture of him before he vanishes into thin air.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I do, noona. I could never forget Chef’s ugly face. And Jeongyeon! You’ve grown up! Where’s Hayeon noona?”</p><p> </p><p>Heeyeon pats her youngest daughter’s head proudly. Namjoon had grown up with her daughters, sneaking into the staff’s quarters with his cousins to play board games with the girls. Taeyeon had been the oldest, 17 when Namjoon was ten, with Hayeon being second, four years older. Jeongyeon, the youngest, was Namjoon’s favorite, because they were the closest in age.</p><p> </p><p>“Yah, I’m only a year younger than you,” Jeongyeon complains.</p><p> </p><p>“Insolent child!” Heeyeon chides. “He’s your oppa! Show some respect.”</p><p> </p><p>Jeongyeon sticks her tongue out, but still gives Namjoon a warm hug.</p><p> </p><p>“Hayeon unnie’s been gone, she’s still in Daejeon. She’s working on her Master’s now. And Taeyeon unnie has two kids now in Sokcho. They’re sorry they couldn’t be here,” Jeongyeon explains.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon takes time to greet everyone, happy to see that nothing much has changed, save for a few faces. Change is afoot, however, and he learns that many of the older staff are taking his grandfather’s passing as a sign to retire. Still, change is cyclical, and Heeyeon and Myungsoo are working to make sure new staff is hired as soon as old staff leaves.</p><p> </p><p>They already have a new librarian, just hired two months ago. He’s Thai, and has a name Namjoon is embarrassed to speak incorrectly, but the librarian simply laughs and asks to be called Ten when he’s introduced. He’s handsome as well (of course Namjoon notices, but he’s far too young for Namjoon, who prefers older men anyway).</p><p> </p><p>Jeongyeon is the new head house maiden, along with a new girl recently emigrated from Taiwan named Tzuyu. Chef has an assistant now as well, named Mina.</p><p> </p><p>Mansik, the groundskeeper and head gardener is also still here, and grumpy as ever. Jumin and Jaekyung stop by at some point to say hello, but have to go quite quickly as the storms have upset the horses and the stables are a mess. Namjoon is saddened to hear they’ll be leaving soon. The two stable hands have been around since he was a child, but they’re both aging and in need of time with their families. They’re already training replacements, however, and Namjoon is happy for that.</p><p> </p><p>He chats with everyone like he hasn’t been away for years, an easy back-and-forth. Yet, regrets start to pile up inside of him the longer they speak. He’d missed the birth of Taeyeon’s kids, Mansik’s son’s graduation. The more they tell him, the more his heart feels like it’s been sucked through a vortex, empty space taking over the place where happiness should bloom instead.</p><p> </p><p>He’d had good reasons for staying away (in his own biased opinion), but he still should have made an effort to keep in touch. Heeyeon is getting on in age and he should have been there for her.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s give Joonie time to breath everyone. He still needs to tell us about his partner and engagement.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, noona, please.” He’s no good at hiding his flustered expression. Though it might work in its favor. No one seems to realize his panic is due to a bad lie and not embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>“Consider this your punishment for being away for so long,” is her reply.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, you can’t just come back and expect us not to clown you with this news,” reasons Chef.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell us, who is she? And how did she get you wrapped around her finger so quickly?” Jeongyeon asks curiously.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s never been a particularly good liar. He’s not good at constructing stories with little to no real basis. But he doesn’t have a choice right now. If he tells them the truth, that he’s lying and biding his time until he finds someone to pass off as the love of his life, all so he can inherit this place, they’ll be disappointed. No one expects better from Namjoon than the good, honest people who work here.</p><p> </p><p>When he left this place last, he had promised he would come back a better person, if he ever came back at all. Admitting to them now that he’s a workaholic with more one-night stands in his past than full-fledged relationships would do him no good.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, well. S-she’s great. A really great person with a good heart. Likes a lot of the same things I do and she’s really kind.”</p><p> </p><p>Jeongyeon gapes at him. Everyone else stares unblinking.</p><p> </p><p>“That was the most basic description ever! C’mon, we want real details! How tall is she? What color hair does she have? Tan? Pale? I feel like I’m playing twenty questions here.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon tries to come up with a description that’s more specific but still vague enough that he’ll be able to find such a person.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s shorter than me, but not tiny. And she’s got dark hair, very silky and smooth. She has a beautiful pair of dark eyes. She’s got beautiful white skin, and she fits in my arms perfectly. Her smile is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and when she blushes, it’s just....heavenly.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon tries not to wince at all the lies coming out of his mouth. To be honest, he’s never felt like this about anyone, and he doesn’t know how to encapsulate and articulate these emotions he’s supposed to be having.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not that he doesn’t want love; love is impractical for someone like Kim Namjoon. There’s no shortage of people who want him for shallow or misguided reasons. But no one wants Namjoon for who he really is: the guy from a money-hungry family that can’t even stick up for himself. He wants to feel that heart-shaking feeling, truly, but it just isn’t in the cards right now.</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds amazing, sweet boy, we’re so happy for you. When do we get to meet her?” Heeyeon smiles.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, well, she’s back in Seoul,” he answers stupidly.</p><p> </p><p>“So were you up until a couple of days ago. It’s not like Seoul is a million kilometers away, or have you forgotten, dummy?” Jeongyeon smirks.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know if she’s ready to meet everyone. She hasn’t even met my parents yet.”</p><p> </p><p>“But you’re engaged,” Chef points out. “She has to meet the family before the wedding, no?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon starts to sweat. This ruse is crumbling to the ground faster than he can build its foundation. He should’ve expected these questions. They’re going to see right through him.</p><p> </p><p>“We got engaged on a whim. It was the heat of the moment, and we were planning on having a long engagement. I didn’t even want to tell anyone and neither did she, to be honest. Then, this happened. Grandfather left us all too soon.”</p><p> </p><p>That seems to change the mood in the room, and they all nod in sympathy. Namjoon isn’t the only one in this room who has lost someone. Grandpa Kim was a father figure to most of the people here.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, Namjoon-ah. It will all work out. If you were willing to propose, even on a whim, this person is clearly special,” Heeyeon says knowingly.</p><p> </p><p>“They are,” is what he says. They had better be, is what he thinks. Namjoon is in need of a very special person if he’s going to pull this off.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm hoping to update every Sunday, but truthfully I'm a very slow (and self-conscious) writer. I have the start of this written out, so hopefully I keep my momentum!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The MOB</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is only lightly proofread and probably still has errors, forgive me! Also, I promised Yoongi, and here he is! (Sort of ;D)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He calls Hoseok as soon as he’s back in Seoul, four days later. Fall is giving way to winter quicker than anyone anticipated, and his evening bike rides by the Han River are put on hold until further notice, much to his displeasure. </p><p> </p><p>They meet for dinner at their favorite bistro-slash-gastropub a couple of blocks away from Hoseok’s penthouse. The place is a mix of hipster pretentiousness and earnest service, their favorite type. Plus, the burgers are to die for, which is the main reason they’ve kept coming back since they were 20, soon after they got over their differences and decided to try friendship rather than antagonism.</p><p> </p><p>It’s strange to think about now, but there was a time in his life when Namjoon hated Hoseok. They’d known each other forever and had always been classmates and rivals, since Hoseok had moved to Seoul from Gwangju. Where Namjoon excelled in all school subjects, Hoseok excelled in all school sports and social activities. Hoseok was a born leader, outgoing and creative. Namjoon only took on the burden of being a leader when asked, and rarely ever fulfilled that role convincingly. Hoseok was the baby of his family and beloved by all. Even his coming out had been accepted handily by his family. No one cared that Jung Hoseok was gay, because Jung Hoseok was so much more than his sexual orientation. Namjoon could never have done the same. His parents saw him as one thing and one thing only. Their ticket to the manor.</p><p> </p><p>And so, they became rivals. Namjoon smugly won every implicit and explicit competition between them at school, and Hoseok soothed his burns by making Namjoon a social reject.</p><p> </p><p>And then one day, Namjoon found Hoseok crying in an empty classroom, heartbroken over a beloved family pet that needed to be put down. It was the first time he genuinely saw Jung Hoseok as a complex human being and not a childhood nemesis attempting to usurp the small place Namjoon had carved out for himself in school.</p><p> </p><p>Friendship bloomed between them, as it often does, in an unlikely place. It created ties that were not so easily severed, especially once secrets held tightly to their chests were shared between them like convenience store snacks, never to be shared with anyone but each other.</p><p> </p><p>When university came, they became even closer. It was Hoseok who helped Namjoon come to terms with his bisexuality, wiping his best friend’s tears and even serving as his wingman on more than one occasion.</p><p> </p><p>“Joon, we’ve got to stop coming here,” Hoseok jokes as they sit down. He says this every time but never suggests an alternative. Namjoon scoffs.</p><p> </p><p>“Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“The staff keep looking at us. Like they remember that we’ve been here five times in the last three weeks,” Hoseok does his best approximation of a whisper, hiding his face from a waitress he recognizes as she passes.</p><p> </p><p>“So? Who cares if they judge us? Their words can't do anything to us. Are you getting the steak tartare?”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re not exactly private citizens, Joonie, our faces are in the gossip rags. Anyone here could talk to people in society…and no, I’m getting my usual.”</p><p> </p><p>Hoseok has a point, and a reason to be cautious. His own mother is the CFO of a well-known fashion house and his father is a best-selling author. He’s been a public figure since he was a child, a socialite’s dream date. Namjoon’s family (to their credit) is less visible, in the sense that they keep their business dealings out of the spotlight. That doesn’t mean Korean society doesn’t recognize them, though. Namjoon has had camera lenses on him since he was a kid, and his high-profile job in finance for the Korean branch of a multi-national company has only enhanced his profile, not diminished it. (It has also brought about baseless rumors, like the one about how his family paid for him to be accepted into Seoul National University so he could rub elbows with rich peers.) They’re both as close to being chaebol heirs as they can be without actually being sons of chaebol families.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s no one’s business besides my own if I want to eat the same ahi tuna salad I had last week. People should mind their manners,” Namjoon replies.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, I don’t disagree, but we can’t stop people from talking.”</p><p> </p><p>A waitress stops by their table to ask if they want their usual. Hoseok gives Namjoon a look but otherwise they agree and let the girl get on with her job.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, maybe you have a point, Hobi. But that’s not why we’re here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Right. You wanted to talk about the mob.”</p><p> </p><p>“What? No,” Namjoon shakes his head. “I wanted to talk about the thing you suggested at grandfather’s funeral.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, the mob. M-O-B. Mail-order bride,” He tacks on when the acronym only gets him more confusion on Namjoon’s part.</p><p> </p><p>“Shhhhh, don’t say it so loudly!” Namjoon whispers harshly.</p><p> </p><p>Hoseok wipes his face in disgust, “Say it, don’t spray it, buddy. I’ve swallowed more than enough of your spit, I don’t need any more.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s face flushes and he gives Hoseok the finger. “I thought we agreed never to bring up that lapse in judgment again.”</p><p> </p><p>“Speak for yourself, I tell my all hook-ups about you, and that’s also how I get you dates. People tell friends of friends about your frenching technique. And those dick-sucking lips? Forget about it,” he winks as he says it.</p><p> </p><p>“I hate you so fucking much.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, you don’t, I’m your best friend. Your only friend outside of your family, actually. Plus, I’m about to help you inherit the family manor. Boseong, here you come,” He squeals like a chipmunk on speed. Namjoon already has a headache.</p><p> </p><p>Hoseok slips him a piece of paper from his bag, folded perfectly into a heart like the ones Hoseok used to receive from his many admirers in high school. Their food arrives before he can further inspect the other’s strange gift and Namjoon grins at the taste. There’s a reason they keep coming back.</p><p> </p><p>“Open that at home,” Hoseok advises. “I have a client who knows a person who is friends with a cousin of the guy that set the whole thing up. It’s perfectly legal, totally legit because everyone on the site consents to those activities, and it’s unlikely to cause you any legal trouble if anyone does find out. There’s contracts everyone has to sign, lots of identity verification paperwork that you need to sign and submit so that your 21-year-old wife doesn’t turn out to be a middle-aged divorcee looking for love in all the wrong places.”</p><p> </p><p>“I really doubt anything pertaining to ‘mail-order brides’ is legal, Hobi,” Namjoon says.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, maybe use a VPN to log onto the site, but other than that you don’t have to do a bunch of legwork. If the feds find out, it’s all voluntary, Joon-ah. Do you want your grandfather’s manor or not?”</p><p> </p><p>“I do.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then you know what you need to do, buddy.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s phone begins to ring just as he’s about to take another bite. He looks at the caller ID and sighs.</p><p> </p><p>“Your mother again?” Hoseok questions.</p><p> </p><p>“You’d think she would take a hint. I’ve been dodging her like crazy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Since when?”</p><p> </p><p>“Since the funeral.”</p><p> </p><p>Hoseok sputters, nearly choking on his drink. “Dude, what the hell?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not looking to get yelled at by my mother like I’m twelve, Hobi.”</p><p> </p><p>“What if it’s something important?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve got over twenty message from her containing vaguely-worded threats of what she’ll do to me if I don’t introduce her to my fiancée. I really doubt it’s important.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fair enough.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The first thing he does when he gets home is get out his laptop. His phone rings once again and like clockwork he rejects his mother’s call. Instead he types the address into the search bar and attempts not to feel absolutely ridiculous.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">bride4u.com</span>
</p><p> </p><p>He almost expects it to be an elaborate prank, as if Hoseok had anticipated his dilemma and rushed to create a fake website for mail- brides just to pull one over on Namjoon. The heart shaped note containing the website address and other information certainly adds to the feeling of it being nothing more than a stunt in the vein of <em>Punk’d</em>.</p><p> </p><p>He goes to press the Enter key and then remembers what Hoseok had said. Purchasing a mail-order bride is highly illegal, even with supposed voluntary sites like this one.</p><p> </p><p>He connects to his VPN, takes a deep breath, and presses Enter….</p><p> </p><p>It’s not a joke. It can’t possibly be. Jung Hoseok is a lot of things, including a prankster, and a bastard when he wants to be. He’s also a great dancer, a ray of sunshine, and the best hype man ever. He’s Namjoon’s insufferable, loveable best friend.</p><p> </p><p>What Jung Hoseok is not, is tacky.</p><p> </p><p>Bride4u.com is extremely tacky. The website is shoddily made and clearly designed by a color-blind amateur web designer who thinks cupid clipart is still okay to use in this day and age (it’s not).</p><p> </p><p>The whole thing is dubiously crafted, like an overturned apple crate meant to function as a raccoon trap. Namjoon wonders how embarrassed he’ll be when the National Intelligence Service clowns him for falling for an obvious ruse. He doesn’t even want to imagine his family’s reactions. They’ll be delighted to know he’s as much of an idiot as they suspected.</p><p> </p><p>He clicks the “Browse our selection” on the top right corner and chuckles to himself about the absurdity of ordering a wife in the same way one orders specialty sweets or sex toys. He promptly loses that amusement. These are real people (possibly). They’ve undoubtedly faced more hardships than Namjoon ever will, leading them to take up less than salient types of jobs like this. He shakes his head.</p><p> </p><p>The screen takes forever to load but once it does, a pop-up informs him that he’ll have to create a free account to view the profiles.</p><p> </p><p>Being no stranger to throwaway emails used for less than pure websites, he plugs in his least used throwaway email (crabsrmyfrensnotfood@hgoglobal.net) and sets a password made up of the first letter of every Little Mermaid character’s name and Hoseok’s birthday.</p><p> </p><p>He clicks sign up and waits as the page reloads...</p><p> </p><p>And waits....</p><p> </p><p>And waits.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, a different pop-up shows up asking him for his invitation code. He picks up the heart-shaped paper Hoseok provided and types in the ridiculously long access code (18090112130430), then presses enter again.</p><p> </p><p>It’s all definitely a con, but not the kind he expects.</p><p> </p><p>The homepage was a decoy. The site before him is nowhere near that 2002 homemade bullshit. No cringe graphics, no comic sans font. Definitely no cupid clipart.</p><p> </p><p>If Namjoon had to compare, he’d say it looks more like a government website. Clean, modern, with no typos in the link descriptions.</p><p> </p><p>A message pops up, providing some type of mission statement for the site.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Bride4U is a new, innovative take on the mail-order bride. Those seeking the services of a partner can rest assured knowing that each and every one of our “brides” is legitimate and discreet. All profiles listed on our CATALOGUE page are voluntarily offering their services.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Please note: </em>
</p><p>
  <em>If you suspect any of the profiles listed </em>
</p><p>
  <em>on our site to be cases of coercion or </em>
</p><p>
  <em>of sexual trafficking, you are obliged </em>
</p><p><em>to </em> <em>report to our site admin team:</em></p><p>
  <em>marry4money@bride4u.com.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He quickly reads through the user guide for buyers beneath the statement. It’s simple.</p><p> </p><p>Step 1: Verify your identity, so that no one gets catfished</p><p>Step 2: Pay the one-time $2,500 fee to access the site's database of brides</p><p>Step 3: Take a quiz to find a mail-order-bride that fits your specifications</p><p>Step 4: Message your bride-to-be if you’d like, so you can get to know them and share your expectations before making a commitment.</p><p>Step 5: Once you have found your bride, make your arrangements for a marriage ceremony and submit a copy of the marriage certificate in order to have both the buyer's profile and the bride's removed from the site. </p><p> </p><p>There’s some other fine print detailing other information on the bottom, but frankly Namjoon is too impatient to read through it. Once he clicks out of the info box, he sees that he has to fill out several online documents in order to have his identity verified and his profile activated.</p><p> </p><p>He briefly considers whether this is all worth the hassle and whether he’d be better off just forgetting about this whole thing. $2,500 isn't much to people like Namjoon, but it seems a high price to pay when he doesn't even know if he'll find someone suitable on the website.</p><p> </p><p>His grandfather’s past words loom large in his head, though. <em>What this family owns is special, Namjoon, they just don’t know it, yet.</em></p><p> </p><p>Whether the Kims of Boseong see it or not, that manor is the only thing keeping them together. Everything about that manor and land is worth more than they could ever reap in its sale. It’s a reminder of how far their family has come, of the sacrifices past generations of Boseong Kims made for them. If Namjoon loses that property to the public or—god forbid—to his scheming cousin, he fears they’ll cease to be family at all. The manor, for better or worse, has kept their family together and made them at least pretend to care about each other for the past few decades.  </p><p> </p><p>At this point, he’ll marry a goddamn ogre if that’s what it takes to keep their family’s most important unifier.</p><p> </p><p>So he gets out his credit card and government-issued documents and gets to work. By 5pm, he finishes the verification process and gets the email saying he can now use his profile. He starts the quiz.</p><p> </p><p><em>What age range are you interested in? </em> is the first question.</p><p>20-30</p><p>
  <em>Do you prefer a foreign or domestic bride?</em>
</p><p>Domestic</p><p> </p><p>A mail order bride popping up out of nowhere is a hard enough pill to swallow. No need to shock the family with a foreigner on top of that.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Hair color?</em>
</p><p>He’d told the manor staff that he was with someone that had dark hair, so he checks that box.</p><p>
  <em>Height?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He clicks ‘No preference’ and then immediately unclicks it when he remembers he’d told Heeyeon and everyone else that his “fiancée” was shorter than him. Namjoon is almost six feet tall, so he chooses ‘165cm to 175cm.’ They can’t be too short, he reasons, because having to kiss will be a logistical nightmare with a person smaller than that.</p><p> </p><p>Not that he anticipates much kissing, but one can never be too cautious.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Weight?</em>
</p><p>No Preference. He didn’t even realize this was something he could specify.</p><p>
  <em>Speaks Korean?</em>
</p><p>Um, duh. He marks ‘Yes.’</p><p>
  <em>Male or female?`</em>
</p><p>This throws him for a loop. Aren’t mail order brides supposed to be women? He stares at this last question.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon isn’t secretive, per se. Sure, he’s had female exes, but none that were around for too long. His parents probably suspect that he’s not really on the straight and narrow path, given how many times he’s purposely sabotaged dates with eligible young bachelorettes from good families. Then again, his mother insists on viewing his stubbornness as an attempt to piss her off and undermine her maternal authority. So she might’ve taken those botched dates as a “fuck you” and not a declaration of Namjoon’s bisexuality with a strong male preference.</p><p> </p><p>All of this to say, Namjoon isn’t secretive, but he also hasn’t come out. And he’s not particularly keen on doing so by ordering a male-order bride instead of a mail-order one.</p><p> </p><p>He chooses the female option and presses the search button.</p><p> </p><p>[49 profiles match your criteria]</p><p> </p><p>He has to narrow down that list. It’s 6:00pm. Namjoon makes himself a pot of coffee and gets to work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Approximately three and a half hours later, he emerges from the depths of Bride4U with a shortlist of about 8 candidates. Most of the profiles were empty or abandonded, judging by the last login date.</p><p> </p><p>No one is particularly interesting or eye-catching, but that’s the beauty of a sham marriage. When it outlives its usefulness, both he and whatever woman he chooses will get to walk away painlessly. He’s decided he’ll go into this with no fuss. The marriage will be open-ended, and whenever they both choose to part ways (after enough time has passed) Namjoon will harbor no ill feelings.</p><p> </p><p>He messages about half of the profiles he’s interested in and decides he’ll do the rest after dinner. Tonight feels like a chicken night. Chicken and beer. He orders the chicken and decides to get started on the beer portion of his dinner early. The perks of being an adult.</p><p> </p><p>One beer turns to two turns to four by the time the apologetic chicken delivery boy shows up.  His bike wouldn’t start up, he says. Namjoon tips him 50,000 won anyway. Drunk Namjoon spends the money sober Namjoon likes to pretend doesn’t exist.</p><p> </p><p>The four beers in his system leave him half seas over, but they also give him a very bad idea. He sloppily opens up the Bride4U quiz and clicks ‘Start Over’. At this point, he feels like he’s going to be very, very hungover and sick tomorrow, but he still types in the very same criteria he’d used for his first search, minus one thing.</p><p> </p><p>This time, he clicks Male.</p><p> </p><p>He isn’t actually going to message any of the male “brides.” He just wants a look. Just wants to let himself imagine a world where Kim Namjoon of the Boseong Kims gets to have what he wants without having to worry about public perceptions.</p><p> </p><p>There are far fewer profiles for men on this site, which makes sense. Not many men consider getting into this type of money-making scheme. Most of the men that are listed look like they could break him in two, which would be kind of hot if he wasn’t into being the caretaker in the relationship. They’re also much less coy about what they want, compared to the women, listing their monthly expenses and what they expect to get under the Why I’m Here portion of their profiles.</p><p> </p><p>After seeing eight shameless profiles that look frankly ridiculous, there’s one last profile he checks out.</p><p> </p><p>The man in this one profile catches Namjoon’s eye. The content is as basic as can be, but the man in the profile picture is not.</p><p> </p><p>Dark eyes, a pouty bottom lip, delicate nose, and a perfectly-shaped face framing angelic cheeks all combine to make a stunning young man. He studies the profile carefully, taking in what little information the man has offered. His last login was two months ago.</p><p> </p><p>His name is Yoongi, and the reason he claims to be on this site is that he wants to be able to provide for his family and he’s exhausted all other options, working multiple jobs and cutting corners wherever he can. That tugs at drunk Namjoon’s heartstrings a bit. While he’s busy worrying inheriting about a mansion, someone out there in the world is worrying about much more important matters.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi looks the way Namjoon's deepest fantasies do. He has a face that says he's an angel with a devil's streak. He almost exits the page five times, trying to convince himself he's done looking, but he can't. Yoongi, in all his plain-clothes glory is captivating without even trying. His profile says he's open to both men and women buyers, and Namjoon imagines he's had his fair share of men and women vying for him already. The thought makes him nervous.</p><p> </p><p>Sober Namjoon would say this was all a mistake, send a silent prayer to the God he’s not sure exists to take care of this young man, and then save this guy’s photo for masturbation material. Sober Namjoon would exit the page and try not to go back.</p><p> </p><p>Drunk Namjoon is different. He makes the choices sober Namjoon pretends aren’t an option.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>10:42pm  Hey,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>10:42pm  I like your profil</em>
</p><p>
  <em>10:43pm  *e</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>He cringes internally at the spelling error brought on by five beers. This guy is going to think he’s an absolute idiot. If he checks his messages at all, that is.</p><p> </p><p>The shame of what he’s just done hits him hard.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon isn’t like this. He isn’t the kind of person who frequents dating apps or chats up strangers. He hasn’t had a relationship since college. Namjoon doesn’t do this kind of thing.</p><p> </p><p>He throws the rest of his beer down the sink, logs off the website, and goes to bed. Min Yoongi is cute and Namjoon is stupid. Things will be better tomorrow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Bi-Weekly Library Visit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Time for some Yoongi!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Things are not better tomorrow.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi went to bed last night thinking things would be better tomorrow. They aren’t.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes, Yoongi feels like poverty is etched into his DNA. Like he was born to know the struggle of never having enough. Enough food, enough sleep, enough time. If only he could have more time, he might be able to make something of this useless existence.</p><p> </p><p>Some nights (most nights) he lies awake, wondering what it must be like to never have to worry about things. To be comfortable. Yoongi hasn’t been comfortable since he was eight years old. If he tries hard enough, he can vaguely remember happier times. When his father was alive, and his uncle still hadn’t been decimated by his disease. Before hard economic times his mother from her good job, and his aunt still owned her own restaurant. Before his brother had to go to the military and leave him hopeless for a way out of their hole.</p><p> </p><p>They hadn’t lived large. Two small houses side by side in the less glamorous part of the suburbs, housing two hardworking, loving families. Yoongi never got new toys or the piano he dreamed of owning, but he never complained. At the very least they had stability. He remembers that.</p><p> </p><p>They had love, as well. They still have it now, but it strains under the pressure of limited funds and constant hardship.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not the sadness that keeps him awake most of the time, though. He feels bad for bemoaning his losses. He prefers what he had, a childhood of blissful ignorance, over what his cousins Jihoon, Jisoo, and Sejeong have. At such young ages, they’ve never known anything but what they lack. Money, food, space.</p><p> </p><p>Eight people, now seven with his brother gone, living under a single roof, sharing pitiful meals, hoping with all their might that this winter won’t be as cold as the last. If it hurts Yoongi, he can’t imagine how his cousins must feel. They’ve had to grow up much quicker than their peers and learn about hardships sooner than any child ever should, and for that he will always be sorry.</p><p> </p><p>Today isn’t any better than yesterday, despite his flimsy hope that it might be. Uncle Hyungseok is sick. Someone in the family is always sick, but this time is more severe than all the others. He wants to do something, but he doesn’t have many options. Hospitals are out of the question. Medicine is too expensive.</p><p> </p><p>He works as hard as he can but money is not something he can wish into existence. Even with his three jobs and his mother, aunt, and uncle doing what they can to make money, they come up short. He rises up off his mattress in the room he shares only with his mother now and gets dressed. To save money, everyone showers every other day or less if they can help it. He buys cheap deodorant and underwear in bulk and hopes that the stench of near destitution isn’t too noticeable.</p><p> </p><p>Today is Wednesday, his bi-weekly library visit. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, their local library opens very early at 6am to the public, but Yoongi is good friends with the librarian who lets him in at 5am instead. This gives him just enough time before work to borrow one of their ancient desktops to log into his email and see if there are any new job listings on the local message board.</p><p> </p><p>It’s no different than any other Wednesday, so he steps inside the library at 5:06am and beelines for the computers.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, noona!” He calls out.  Sodam is around somewhere.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey kid.” She sneaks up behind him and places a couple of wrapped sandwiches and an apple on the computer desk when he sits down. “How’s it going this week?”</p><p> </p><p>“Solid three out of ten,” he says, purposely avoiding her gaze and the food. They both know he’ll take it when he goes, and they both also know that she isn’t looking to be thanked. Sodam takes care of Yoongi in her own way, and he returns the favor by providing manual labor whenever she needs it.</p><p> </p><p>“Ouch! That bad?”</p><p> </p><p>A volunteer staff walks through the door, interrupting their conversation, and Yoongi takes this moment to log in to his email.</p><p> </p><p>There’s the usual rejection emails for jobs he’s applied to in the past.  They always say the same thing. Lack of experience. Lack of transportation. Lack, lack, lack. All Yoongi does is lack something in one way or another.</p><p> </p><p>There are a couple of new job postings, and he bookmarks those. On Saturday he’ll submit his resume for them.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, there’s an email. Sent sometime this past week.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>You’ve got a message in your inbox!</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>It’s from Bride4U.com. He’s shocked to see someone’s bothered to contact him. Well, besides that one creepy asshole.</p><p> </p><p>About six months ago, when he was in even worse shape financially, he remembered that one of the regular customers at the bar where he works had mentioned the less than legal ways she used to make money. So he’d asked for the details.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hey, Ahreum noona,” he calls. His brows are hidden by sweat-slicked dark bangs. Working Friday nights at the most popular bar this side of town will tire you out. The place is packed, hot and sweaty and cramped with dancing bodies and people playing pool, the music louder than deafening. It’s a miracle she hears him from her seat at the end of the bar. He hands a cute boy with dimples a vodka tonic and sidles up to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yes, Yoongi-yah.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do you remember that website you told us about? The one you used to find a sugar daddy in college?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You mean the mail-order bride website?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Um, yeah, that one.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It was called ‘Bride for you’ I think, but spelled in a really annoying way. Why do you ask?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Just wondering. You got any other info for it?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You looking to get yourself a sugar daddy?” Ahreum jokes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Maybe? Who knows…”  He’s serving another customer, so he misses the incredulous look she sends him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, kid. Trust me, you’re not looking for anything on that site.”</em>
</p><p><em>Yoongi frowns. “I need money.”</em> </p><p><em>“Get another job, kid. Seriously, Yoongi. Shit like that is dangerous,” she warns.</em> </p><p>
  <em>“I have three jobs. I’m working myself to the bone and it’s not enough. I don’t give a fuck what kind of shit I have to do. I’ll suck an old man’s dick for the next twenty years it if means my entire family doesn’t share an apartment with rats anymore.”</em>
</p><p><em>Ahreum bites her lip. “I’m really sorry you have it this rough, kid. I really am.” She grabs onto the hand that not serving another cocktail and squeezes it.</em> </p><p><em>“Enough to give me information on that site?” He asks hopefully, not afraid to guilt her if he gets what he wants in the end.</em> </p><p>
  <em>By the end of the night, Ahreum has given him the information he needs and an extra 50,000won tip. He pockets both and heads home.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He created a profile as soon he could and then waited a month before someone finally contacted him. They turned out to be some creepy chaebol, however, and Yoongi blocked them without further notice.</p><p> </p><p>He never got any other takers after that. Most people searching for people to buy don’t want some sickly-looking poor kid, probably. He left up his profile anyway. Their situation is less dire, for now, but their family is never fully out of the woods. But now, someone’s interested. Or so it seems from the email. He clicks the link in the email and then struggles for a few minutes before he finally remembers his password.</p><p> </p><p>When he finally gets to read the message, he snorts.</p><p> </p><p>This Kim Namjoon, whoever he is, knows neither how to spell nor how to speak with strangers. But Yoongi doesn’t care about all of that. He just needs money.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Min Yoongi</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:23am  Hello</em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:23am  I’d say the same about your profile, but I haven’t checked it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:25am I don’t really have the time to bother with small talk, so let’s be upfront. Are you interested in buying my services?</em>
</p><p><em>5:27am If you don’t answer within the next 15 or so minutes, we’ll have to continue this conversation on Saturday.</em> </p><p>
  <em>5:27am I don’t have regular access to the internet, unfortunately.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>He figures this guy is not a morning person and probably won’t respond. He takes a moment to click on the man’s profile.</p><p> </p><p>There’s no profile picture yet, but the account was created yesterday, so it’s not entirely surprising. His identity has been verified, at least. And, shockingly, he’s not some gross old pervert.</p><p> </p><p>This Kim Namjoon is 25-years-old and from Seoul. Other than that, there’s no more information on him. His profile has no listed interests, no income range selected, and no information about why he’s here sending cringy messages to Yoongi.</p><p> </p><p>It’s quite probable that this interaction is a waste of Yoongi’s time altogether, but you miss every shot you don’t take, as they say.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Min Yoongi</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:43am You must not be an early riser. If you’re still interested let me know. And maybe fill out your profile? People might think you’re a serial killer or something.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>He says that last part as a joke. Mostly. Ahreum warned him that she had avoided the creeps but he might not be so lucky.</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi-ah, it’s fifteen to six. You’ll be late to your job if you stay any longer,” Sodam warns.</p><p> </p><p>He’s always running late. He had a record of never being on time to any of his three jobs. He’s late to pick up his youngest cousins from school. Late on rent money. Late to check the expiration date on the rancid food in their refrigerator before he attempts to cook with it. Min Yoongi is always late.</p><p> </p><p>By the time he steps out of the library, he puts his one-sided interaction on the mail-order bride website out of his mind. There’s too much going on to worry about this Kim Namjoon who probably won’t change anything for Yoongi anyway.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Namjoon is surprised to find that he’s gotten multiple responses on Bride4U in less than 24 hours. Two are from women he’d messaged before his drunken shenanigans, and the third is from that cute boy. He reads the women’s first, and finds that they’re both very polite, if not eager. One of them asks if he’s a Daejeon Kim or a Boseong Kim. Namjoon rubs at his temples.</p><p> </p><p> Min Yoongi, however, is neither of those things.</p><p> </p><p>His reply to Namjoon is blunt, and he doesn’t beat around the bush. He comes off as an asshole, to be quite honest. And yet, Namjoon is more inclined to answer his message than the ones from the women he contacted. Possibly because his profile photo is still on Namjoon’s mind.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span> </em>
</p><p><em>9:37am I’m sorry to have missed you, Min Yoongi-ssi. It was not my intention to be so rude and leave you hanging.</em>  <em>May I ask what you were doing awake at 5 in the morning? Also, has anyone ever told you you’re very blunt?</em><br/>
<em>9:39am On second thought, I rescind my questions. You don’t like small talk, and I don’t want to trifle you with it.</em></p><p>
  <em>9:40am To be quite honest, I wasn’t going to message you originally, but now that we’re here, maybe we can discuss an…arrangement? I will wait for your reply.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He deliberates for a bit. He shouldn’t be reckless. Even if this website and service are legitimate, it’s not smart to put his face out there for a stranger to see. But this Min Yoongi doesn't seem to know who he is. That or he's lying. Namjoon chooses to believe it's the former and takes a deep breath before adding:</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>9:46am I can’t give too much away on here for privacy reasons, but hopefully a selca will convince you I’m not the Raincoat Killer.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>He freaks out internally for a minute before deciding what’s done is done. He’s put himself out there now, nothing else can be done. He won’t know what Yoongi thinks or responds until Saturday, anyway. For now, he’ll just wait. And keep avoiding his mother. He turns on alerts for Bride4U so that he gets emailed as soon as Yoongi replies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>By the time Yoongi logs back onto Bride4U on Saturday, he figures this Kim Namjoon person will have completely moved on to someone else. That’s why he’s shocked to see that Kim Namjoon has not only responded to his messages, but is waiting to hear back from him about a possible arrangement. </p><p> </p><p>He bites his lip and looks around the library. The building’s exterior is dilapidated to hell, but the inside is as cozy and welcoming as it was when Yoongi was a kid. Sodam is around somewhere. Yoongi almost wants to ask for advice.</p><p> </p><p>When he’d first signed up for a mail-order bride website, it was an abstract thing. Offer himself up for some kind of arrangement with a man or woman, romantically or not, and get paid for it. Now, there’s someone who is actually willing to do just what the website advertises, and Yoongi feels it’s all too real.</p><p> </p><p>What will his family say when he tells them what he’s done? Should he tell them at all?</p><p> </p><p>It helps a little that this Kim Namjoon looks young and not as sleazy as the kind of people Yoongi imagined he would be dealing with. (If he’s the most handsome man Yoongi’s ever seen, which he is, he won’t dwell on it. Yoongi is great at burying unwanted thoughts.)</p><p> </p><p>A reverse image search that comes up empty partially assuages Yoongi’s worry that he’s being catfished. He doesn’t really trust all that “verification” stuff on the site, to be quite honest.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Min Yoongi</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:12am  Glad to know you’re not a murderer, Namjoon-ssi.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:13am  What kind of arrangement did you have in mind? I’m open to anything, really…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:15am I do expect adequate compensation, though</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He cringes a bit at how desperate for money he must sound and deliberates for a bit before writing again.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>5:20am I’m sorry that I can’t be in contact more often. I don’t want to waste your time or mine.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Before he can write anything else, a message appears below the one he’s just sent.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:21am I hope I’m not too late. I wanted to try and catch you so we could have a proper conversation.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Min Yoongi</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:23am I’m still here. I have to leave for work soon, though.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:24am Perfect. I don’t plan to keep you long. Would it be too forward of me to ask if we could meet in person to discuss the matter of an arrangement? Working things out over the internet might lead to miscommunication, I feel.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Min Yoongi</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:27am You’re in Seoul, right? I live in Daegu. I don’t exactly have transportation or funds to go to Seoul.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:28am I can arrange transportation. It’s no problem. Can I have your phone number so we can hash out a date, time, and place for you to be picked up?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi blushes at the thought of admitting to this man the depths of his need for financial security.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Min Yoongi</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:30am I don’t have a cell phone and our house doesn’t have a landline. I mostly use friends’ phones or the phone at work to communicate.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:31am I see.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:32am I’d like to speak to you sooner rather than later. Would it be okay for you to give me the phone number of a trusted friend or coworker?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Yoongi startles when a freshly peeled orange is placed next to his hand on the mouse.</p><p> </p><p>“Give him my number,” Sodam says, nonchalantly.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you been reading over my shoulder this entire time?” Yoongi asks incredulously. He blushes to think what she might have seen.</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon, you’ve gotta be at work soon. Just give him my number. If he texts, I can stop by work on your break so you can respond to him.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi hesitates, but does as he’s told, informing Namjoon that he probably won’t be able to speak until later in the day.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Kim Namjoon</span> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>5:41am I’ll be in touch.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>They say goodbye and Yoongi runs to work, late as ever. In Seoul, Namjoon goes back to sleep. He’s too tired right now to be worried about what he’s going to do when he meets this Min Yoongi.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>FYI the Raincoat Killer was a Korean serial killer active in the early 200s. Just in case you don't understand that reference.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The First Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm bad at posting regularly, sorry :(</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi wraps his scarf tighter around himself as he walks. This neighborhood is far from the best, but he’s lived here long enough that the locals respect him and he knows how to get home without any unwanted run-ins.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s colder than it should be for early November, and this is his third year wearing this coat. If it weren’t for his mother’s godly sewing skills, he’d be wearing his thickest hoodie only, which is just about threadbare. He might have to actually buy clothes this season, which will surely eat into his meager savings. But he puts all of that out of his mind for now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He walks quickly towards the library, where Sodam is waiting to see him off. She’s the only one who knows anything about what he’s doing. It’s early enough in the morning that the only people outside are shopkeepers and hungover partygoers who lost track of time. The stillness of it all is nerve-wracking rather than calming.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With Sodam's help, Yoongi had been able to schedule a time and place to meet up with Kim Namjoon, rearranging his shifts at his three jobs. None of his bosses were particularly happy, but Yoongi knows that if he plays his cards right (and if this Kim Namjoon is legit), he won’t ever have to go back to these jobs again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s a car much too fancy for this neighborhood already waiting outside the entrance to the library, just as he and Namjoon had agreed. Sodam waves as she sees him, standing outside in her fluffy coat with a steaming thermos. He greets her and allows her to direct him towards the car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry, kid. I already grilled this guy and took a copy of his license. If you’re not back here by midnight I’ll send my guys after him,” she stage whispers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi snorts, but he feels a weight lift off his shoulders all the same. What he’s about to do is potentially dangerous, but so is the life he’s living now. It’s nice to know at least one person is aware of what he’s setting out to do and has his back. He gives the driver (a nice-seeming man by the name of Sejin) a tight smile and gets in the backseat, happy to be out of the cold and inside a car much fancier than any he will ever own.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ride up north to Seoul takes about four and a half hours, which he and the driver spend in companionable silence. Sejin only speaks to ask if the radio station is okay with Yoongi (it is), and Yoongi only speaks once to ask if he can eat in the car. He points at the sandwich Sodam prepared for the trip and receives a kind nod in return.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Two hours in, Yoongi manages to doze off, lulled to sleep by the warmed seats and the soft classical music playing through the car’s ridiculously amazing entertainment system. He wakes up as they’re crossing into Seoul and the suburbs give way to a vibrant metropolis. Whatever the outcome of this meeting, at least Yoongi will be able to say he’s seen a small part of the world outside of Daegu. Sejin drives through the entrance of a gated community and drops Yoongi off at the front of the high-rise that Kim Namjoon calls home with an explanation about parking. Then Yoongi’s alone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He doesn’t know what to expect when he walks up to the place. It’s a sky-high building, much nicer than anything his family will ever see up close. It’s in a neighborhood of Seoul that Yoongi knows he will probably never set foot in again even if he ends up in the city in the future.  He walks up the steps and is greeted by an elderly doorman, who kindly asks that he wipe his feet on the rug (he must’ve noticed the old sneakers on the younger's feet’s) before going in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The guy, Namjoon, Yoongi’s potential arrangement/meal ticket is already sitting in the lobby. He’s looking at something on a cellphone that probably costs more than Yoongi’s entire family’s monthly expenses. For a moment, he feels that this was a mistake. This guy is rich in every sense of the word. People like Yoongi don’t end up with people like Kim Namjoon. This charade won't last, if it even gets off the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then, Kim Namjoon looks up from his phone by chance and locks eyes with Yoongi. He blinks a few times, then smiles slightly and stands quickly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’s wearing a white collared shirt, the top few buttons undone, with black slacks and oxfords. His hair is no longer bleached blond and soft-looking like it was in his selca. Instead, he has dyed light-brown locks that have been carefully styled, possibly by a professional, He’s wearing black-rimmed glasses, but Yoongi has trouble believing someone as rich as this man can’t afford corrective eye surgery. The frames are probably for show. He holds out a hand as Yoongi slowly walks over.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hello Yoongi-ssi, I’m Namjoon. I think it’s best if we go up to my apartment to speak. Is that okay?”</p>
<p><br/>His voice is deep, but not as deep as Yoongi’s. Their hands are a similar size. He has dimples. All of this shouldn’t reassure Yoongi in the slightest. The details don’t take away from the fact that he is walking straight into a lion’s den. And yet he is reassured, at least a little.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He nods in agreement and quickly checks his pocket for the pepper spray he nabbed from work in his back pocket when Namjoon’s back is turned. The website said this was all legit, and the lobby of this building supposedly has cameras (he checked online). This rich man wouldn’t be stupid enough to murder him, right? Then again, affluenza has been successfully used in defense of men who look a lot worse than Namjoon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi tries not to appear as stunned by the opulence as he is. It’s really quite hard. The elevator is all dark wood paneling with silver accents and mirrors on the walls. Namjoon presses the top floor button and waits for the doors to close.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I have the penthouse,” he explains. He’s biting his lip and Yoongi can’t help but notice how tall he is. He knows he’s staring, but he can’t help it. He’s never been this close to another gay man in daylight, sue him. The elevator pings and Namjoon leads Yoongi out with a hand on his back, the touch fleeting but warm. Yoongi shivers, sparks emanating from the point of contact. Namjoon doesn’t seem to notice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We just have to take one more elevator, it’s this way.” He leads Yoongi down the hall to an elevator that has no button to push, only a keycard reader.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This elevator is exactly the same as the last one, but when the doors open once more, what Yoongi sees is intriguing in its own right. There is a set of double black doors directly in front of the elevator and when Namjoon swipes his keycard, they open automatically to reveal an apartment as lavish and stylishly decorated as any that Yoongi has seen in the magazines he sells at the convenience store.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s expensive-looking art on the walls and sleek couches. The apartment seems to have an open floor plan and from the entrance Yoongi can tell the kitchen is state-of-the-art and furnished with only expensive cooking utensils. Namjoon leads him over to one of the couches, and Yoongi notices that the floor-to-ceiling windows offer a prime view of the Seoul skyline and Han River. Of course they do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He spots two young-looking girls with cleaning supplies going into what looks like a bedroom. This guy is the real deal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Would you like something to drink?” Namjoon asks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi means to say no, but he’s thirsty and he wants to see how this guy handles guests.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Water, if you have any.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Coming right up,” is the reply he gets before Namjoon gets up to grab a glass and get water from one of those refrigerators with two doors and filtered water. Yoongi’s family has a refrigerator from 1996 with a faulty freezer that always smells off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Here you are,” he says as he passes Yoongi the glass. It has no cracks, no imperfections at all. The water tastes like nothing, like it has never been contaminated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” he says, less business-like than Yoongi expected, but still quite formal. “I’m sure you have questions.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi blinks. Takes another sip of his water. Shakes his head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not really,” he says coolly. He meant what he said to Namjoon before. He’ll do just about anything for money. He won’t ask questions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?” Namjoon’s eyebrows furrow. “I thought you might.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What is there to question? You have money, you need an arrangement. I have no money, I can be arranged. It’s pretty simple.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I have questions.” Namjoon places a pillow in his lap and circles his arms around it like a stuffed bear. The motion combined with his outfit choice makes him look like a child playing dress up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What do you want to know?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your profile was quite bare. I was just hoping to get to know you a little better.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi chuckles dryly, “This isn’t online dating.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"No, but the outcome is potentially the same. Fake or not, a relationship is a relationship and the foundation of it requires the participants to know each other."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Is that really a pressing issue right at this moment?" Yoongi's hold on the glass becomes slippery with how much he's sweating. He doesn't really want to get into the specifics of his poverty here and now, standing in a rich man's palatial home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To be honest, I mostly want to know more about why you’re on that site. You say you need the money, what for? I think we owe each other an explanation for why we’re even considering this in the first place.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s pretty simple. I’m poor, I’m working three jobs right now, none of which pay anything close to what they should for the amount of work I put in. I live with my mother, aunt, uncle, and three cousins in a two-bedroom apartment. My older brother was with us until he was forced to do his military service. We’re barely scraping by.” He fiddles with the glass in his hands and stares at the wall as he speaks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That sounds really rough,” is what Namjoon says, and Yoongi is thankful he doesn’t offer words of comfort. He doesn’t need hollow sentiments from a millionaire.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It is. My uncle is always sick and our landlord is always threatening to evict us. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get us out of that situation. We can’t keep going the way we are.”</p>
<p><br/>Yoongi isn’t usually one to be so forthcoming with his troubles. But Namjoon already knows he’s desperate for money and is asking for a more detailed explanation; there isn’t any reason to hide the truth at this point.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know it probably doesn’t mean much coming from me, but I’m really sorry you’ve had to suffer through all of that, Yoongi-ssi.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“‘s not your fault,” Yoongi mumbles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s not your fault either. I’m sure you’ve done the best you can. It’s not easy to survive in the world these days, especially with your circumstances.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi nods slightly but doesn’t speak. Circumstances rule everything in his life, it's true. Namjoon breaks the silence that lingers around them after a while.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I suppose I should tell you why I was on that same website,” he offers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No offense, but you don’t seem like the type who’d use that kind of service. You’re....”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Young and rich?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was going to say ‘not exactly an octogenarian.’”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fair enough,” he replies, smiling. He can already tell that Yoongi is no pushover. He’s subtly sassy in a refreshing way, like Hoseok but without all the screaming.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My grandfather recently passed away and designated me as the sole owner of the family manor in Jeollanam-do. But in order to inherit it, I have to either be 25 years old or married in the next month and a half. If neither of those conditions are met, I forfeit ownership. And I just turned 24 this year.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wow, your grandfather must’ve been tired of waiting for great grandchildren, huh?” Yoongi jokes, then blushes at how crude he must sound to this elite man of Seoul.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon grins. “I’m not sure exactly why he left those stipulations. All I know is I’m supposed to meet them within two months, and the clock is already ticking.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So what kind of arrangement are you proposing, Namjoon-ssi? It sounds like you need a husband, and I don’t mind that kind of arrangement, but what exactly would it entail?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon tosses the pillow in his lap to the side and sits up straight. He still looks young like this, but he also looks tired, like the weight he carries is piled so heavily on his shoulder that he can't pretend it's not there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I propose we arrange a contract and get married, the sooner the better. You will move here, to Seoul, and live with me. I will expect you to attend certain social functions with me, as well as any family functions, though those are few and far between. In return, I will give you a monthly allowance of a reasonable sum. I will pay for your all your utilities, housing, food, and other incidentals. I won’t expect you to work, though I would not be opposed to it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi nearly shouts with unrestrained joy at the thought of not working anymore, but continues listening.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The marriage should last no less than two years, in case my family gets suspicious, but after that, we will be free to divorce whenever either of us wishes. You will obviously get a generous divorce settlement when the time comes. Oh, and neither of us will tell a soul about the arrangement,” Namjoon tacks on. He’s biting his lip nervously, as if afraid Yoongi will not agree to his terms. He should know he’s the one holding all the cards, but maybe he's playing innocent for Yoongi's sake. It will all come out in the contract anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi thinks it over for a bit. “My friend, Park Sodam, she already knows about everything. She read our messages over my shoulder and saw me off when Sejin-ssi picked me up,” he says sheepishly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s all right. My best friend Hoseok knows as well. He was the one who told me about the site and he'll be drafting up the agreement. But I think it would be best if those were the only people who knew.”</p>
<p><br/>“I agree, actually. Another thing, will you allow me to keep contact with my family? At the very least, I’d like to check in on them once in a while. Make sure any money I send them is covering the necessities. Would that be okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon’s eyebrows reach towards the sky. “Of course! I have no intention of keeping you from your family, Yoongi-ssi. I only want for you to move to Seoul because my work is here. I don’t mean to hide you away from them, please don’t think that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Namjoon-ssi.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon bats away the gratitude. “Don’t thank me for that. If you’d like, we can set up automatic payments for any bills your family need to pay and open a checking account for their daily needs. That doesn’t need to come out of your monthly allowance.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are all rich people this generous, or just you?” Yoongi asks quizzically. It almost feels like he’s on a hidden camera show. Sugar Daddy Punk’d, or something. No way this guy is this loaded and generous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d like to think of it as taking care of my in-laws,” Namjoon smirks. He really is handsome.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll have Hoseok draft something, then. He's not technically a lawyer yet, but I trust him. Don’t worry, we can decide on the monetary details once a basic contract is outlined. Anything else we should discuss?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi bites his lip, debating whether he should ask. Ultimately, he decides to go for it. He wants everything out in the open now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When you say marriage, do you mean that only in legal matters, or practical matters as well?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon’s head tilts to the side like a golden retriever. Yoongi holds back his smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not sure I get what you mean?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What I mean is, well, will I be expected to…service you in the ways a real spouse would?” Yoongi cringes at his own verbiage. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon’s mouth opens and shuts, like he’s still processing. “I’m not sure—“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry—I—um, what I mean is, is sex expected as part of the exchange?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon begins stammering and blushes so fiercely it’s almost comical.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh god! Um, no, that will definitely not be expected. Unless we both want it! I mean, if we decide we want that, together, then we can have…that. But I don’t expect it of you in exchange. You helping me with the manor is more than enough, really.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi nods.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon checks his watch and smiles kindly. “I never asked if you needed to be back home by a certain time. If it’s okay with you, maybe we could have a late lunch together before I send you home?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi assents with a murmured “Yes,” too dazed by how quickly he’s managed to sign himself away to another human being to give any sort of conversational response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon leads him back towards the front door of the apartment, where a pair of beat up old sneakers and a pair fine Italian leather loafers are waiting for them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Over a fancy lunch, Namjoon asks Yoongi if he would consider quitting his jobs and telling his family about the marriage as soon as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi finishes chewing his bite of food and asks, “How soon? Rent is due next week and I have bills to pay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hoseok should be done with the contract within the next two weeks. I’d like for us to be married as soon as possible after that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That puts them in late November. Yoongi will be married by Christmas. He’ll have a husband for the new year.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can’t just tell my mother I’ll be getting married to someone she’s never even met.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can meet her if you’d like,” Namjoon offers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi considers that for a moment. Introducing his mother to a man who is clearly well-off and telling her that they’re together and getting married….he shudders. His mother isn’t stupid. But the alternative is leaving her in the dark and letting her think he’s running away to be with some person she knows nothing about. She’s already lost one son temporarily, he doesn’t want her to lose another.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Once the contract has been signed and we’re married, we’ll tell her,” he decides.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Namjoon asks gently. He looks like he wants to disagree with that plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nothing good will come out of telling my mother before the contract is even signed, trust me. What about your family? Will you tell them before the contract is signed? Or maybe before the wedding?” Yoongi asks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I won't, no,” Namjoon admits, “But only because I’m not sure they wouldn’t try to stop us getting married.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay, so it’s settled we’ll get married as soon as the contract is finalized and tell our families after.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the way back to the apartment from lunch (where Namjoon bought them Thai food, the first time Yoongi has ever had it) Namjoon asks Sejin to make a detour. They end up in front of what looks to be a luxury mall. Yoongi subconsciously tugs at the sleeves of his ratty hoodie underneath his shabby coat and almost shrinks into himself. Except, Namjoon reaches for his wrist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry, I hope you don’t mind. I have a habit of wandering off and I wouldn’t want to lose you in a place that’s unfamiliar to you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi wants to lie and say he doesn’t mind, but already he feels warmth hit his cheeks. He’s never been held by another man like this in public, never even held hands publicly with one despite going all the way in the past with some.</p>
<p><br/>He allows Namjoon to lead him to a phone store.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Consider this my first gift to you, Yoongi-ssi,” Namjoon tells him, and then turns to a sales attendant to ask for the latest iPhone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi sputters, “I-I don’t need a cell phone! Really, it’s fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon grimaces a bit. “I don’t mean to insult you Yoongi-ssi, but I can’t keep waking up at 5am to try and speak with you on that website. Please, just accept this, if only to help me sleep better.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fine, but can you ask for something else? I can’t show up in my neighborhood with an iPhone, Jesus. It’ll be gone by the time I put in the passcode to unlock it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon frowns, but turns to the attendant anyway. “We’ll still take the iPhone—I’ll let him pick the color—but can we also get a prepaid phone? Nothing flashy, per his request.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi gets an iPhone in black (ridiculously priced if you ask him), which Namjoon promises to hold onto for him in the meantime, and a prepaid phone with a small keyboard and an ancient looking display.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s only until you move to Seoul. Once you’re here, you can use the iPhone. Don’t worry, I have an old laptop you can take with you in case you want to check your emails in the privacy of your own home. It’s left over from when I was in college.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s eyes twitch at the thought of being able to do something like browse the internet from the lumpy mattress he sleeps on. Not having to wake up even earlier for the conveniences most people his age take for granted. Namjoon leads him out of the store and into a clothing boutique. He knows it’s designer only because the brand name is not in Korean and the prices are ridiculously expensive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve been meaning to ask, how old are you, Yoongi-ssi? It wasn’t listed on your profile.” He asks this as he leads Yoongi toward a section of coats and immediately starts pulling things off of hangers that can't be in his size. Yoongi blushes uncomfortably, realizing now that Kim Namjoon isn't oblivious. He's noticed the state of Yoongi's clothing. He feels like melting into the ground would be great right about now. At the very least, Namjoon doesn't make a direct comment. Small miracles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll be twenty-five in March.” He allows Namjoon to press several coats into his arms and lead him down a hall with fitting rooms. He doesn’t like where this is going.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, so you’re my hyung! Is it all right to call you that? I don’t want to be impolite but we will be married soon. It’ll be weird if I only ever address you formally.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You can call me whatever you like,” Yoongi shrugs, “I’m not hung up on the details.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's a lie. Yoongi absolutely hates being disrespected by brats younger than himself, but Namjoon will be footing the bill now and for the foreseeable future. He won’t argue against whatever Namjoon wants to call him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon smiles a soft smile and ushers Yoongi into one of the fitting rooms, following him inside. Yoongi opens his mouth to protest but Namjoon speaks before he can.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry, I’m not trying to get you naked or anything, I just don’t want anyone who could recognize me to see me out there and start spreading rumors.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s mood plummets faster than a waterfall. He was wrong. This is supremely embarrassing. Maybe Namjoon isn't all that different from his rich kinfolk.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can’t let people see you with one of them poors, huh?” He doesn’t bother to look at Namjoon to confirm. He tries on the first coat, a tan monstrosity that is most offensive to the eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The younger man sputters, scrambling to defend himself. “No! No, of course not. Please, I’m not that kind of person. I just don’t want people to see us and run to my mother. Trust me, we don't want her in our business.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You really don’t want your parents to know.” Yoongi is now wearing a navy blue duffle coat that feels quite tight around the shoulders. Despite his lack of body fat, Yoongi has quite wide shoulders. Namjoon helps him pull it off when it becomes clear it’s a two-man job.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My parents are the reason I’m doing this in the first place.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He doesn’t ask any questions so as not to burden Namjoon, his new…partner? His head hurts as he thinks of the situation and he quickly decides on a long black trench coat softer and warmer than anything he owns. He tries not to wince when he sees the price at the counter. Namjoon doesn’t even blink as he hands over his card.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The car ride back to Namjoon’s house is silent, save for Namjoon pointing out random landmarks to Yoongi, who admitted earlier this is not only his first time in Seoul, but first time outside of Daegu. They’re pulling up to the apartment building when Namjoon speaks again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know you had to skip work to be here, today, Yoongi hyung. Will you be all right these next couple of weeks in Daegu? I’ll try to be quick about the contract, so we can get everything settled soon.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi nods and follows Namjoon back to the penthouse suite. Namjoon grabs the laptop he’d promised and gives Yoongi one of his own designer duffle bags to carry the things he’s bought for him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d like to compensate you for your time, since you missed a day back home.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi wants to tell Namjoon it’s okay, and that he doesn’t need to do that, but they both know the truth now. He really needs the money. Namjoon leaves the room and comes back with a wad of colorful bills in his hand and a shiny card. He sits beside Yoongi on the couch and thrusts both at him inelegantly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is my least used card. I’ll have someone call the bank and add you as an authorized user.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi takes the card, which is heavy, like it’s made of real metal and not paper-thin plastic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know you said rent was due,” Namjoon continues, as if he hasn’t just handed Yoongi his first lifeline in a long time. “I wasn’t sure if you pay that in cash or not.” He hands Yoongi the stack of bills.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s too embarrassed to count the money then and there (there’s a lot of it), his face heating against his permission with sweat forming at his temples.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon, perceptive and kind as he has shown himself to be in a short amount of time, simply says, “It’s three-million won. I hope that will be enough to hold you over until the contract is ready for you to review and sign. You can use the card as much as you’d like if you would prefer to keep the cash in the bank?” he suggests.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t have a bank account,” Yoongi replies blankly. Money leaves him as soon as he gets it, usually.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh! Well I can have that set up for you in no time. I’ll send you the details.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sounds good,” he replies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Great! Listen, would it be okay for me to get a picture of you, for your contact in my phone?" The request is not unusual, but Namjoon still fidgets in a way that makes Yoongi smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure,” he replies easily, even as his palms sweat. He shifts to face Namjoon on the couch and gives what he hopes is a kind look toward the camera. Namjoon’s phone makes a fake shutter sound.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How about a smile this time?" Yoongi huff out a small laugh at such a bold request, but complies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Beautiful, this will do.” Twin blushes take up residence on their faces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi takes his leave and Namjoon spends the next few hours looking at the older man’s contact photo, taking note of his round cheeks and sweet nose. If he dreams of Yoongi’s smile that night, no one needs to know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Korean currency is different than american dollars. $1 USD roughly equals 1,000 KRW and has a similar buying power. Just saying this in case anyone thought Namjoon gave Yoongi millions of dollars LOL. It was around $3K</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Contract Negotiations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Yoongi makes it back to Daegu around the time he would usually be starting his shift at the bar, right after clocking out at the restaurant. He doesn’t bother going home, not wanting to arouse suspicions with his sudden change in schedule. If he gets home this early, his mother might suspect he didn’t go to work. Or think he’s been fired. The last time that happened she came down with a nasty fever.</p><p> </p><p>Instead, he ends up on Sodam's couch, explaining the day’s events and asking for a favor.</p><p> </p><p>“You want me to keep the stuff he gave you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t exactly show up at home with designer clothes and a laptop. I wouldn’t even take the cell phone home if it wasn’t the only way for me to reach Namjoon.”</p><p> </p><p>It’s not just that he’s lying to his family and doesn’t want to get caught. Yoongi’s family is among the poorest in a neighborhood of low-income folks. Because they have less than everyone else, no one tries to take from them. But the minute anyone realizes that Yoongi's got flashy new things, they might start to go missing. He doesn’t want to put his family in danger like that.</p><p> </p><p>“Please, noona, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary,” he begs.</p><p> </p><p>“Fine, kid. When are you signing the contract? Have you told your mom yet?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi explains the deal he’d made with Namjoon about telling his mother. Sodam doesn't look impressed, but she keeps her opinions to herself. He's always liked that about her.</p><p>“I have another favor to ask, actually,” he grins sheepishly. She stares back, curious.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m quitting my jobs, starting with the restaurant. Namjoon gave me some money to hold me over until we sign the contract.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank god, I thought you were going to keel over one of these days. When’s the last time you slept more than four hours straight?“</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi chooses not to answer the question. “Can I hang out at the library during the day? I can’t really stop leaving the house early, you know how my eomma is. She’ll sniff me out. I can help out with whatever you need.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure, kid.”</p><p> </p><p>It doesn’t feel good to lie to his family, but it’s for their own good. Yoongi imagines them in a few months, in safe from the biting winter chill. Things will be different from now on.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He spends the next two weeks working only two of his jobs and trying to take advantage of his remaining time with his family. If they notice anything amiss, they don’t say it.</p><p> </p><p>When his mother asks where he got the extra money for their better-than-usual grocery haul (they can actually afford to buy both meat and bread this time around), he tells her that he’s been doing some extra errands for his boss at the convenience store.</p><p> </p><p>He pays their rent and allows himself the luxury of looking at apartment listings in a new neighborhood. He’s not sure he’ll be able to afford the down payment for an apartment that can comfortably fit his family anytime soon, but maybe he will after he gets some monthly allowances from Namjoon.</p><p> </p><p>The younger man had offered to help Yoongi with his family’s expenses, which was a nice surprise, but Yoongi isn’t willing to push his luck and ask for more. Namjoon may have been nice when Yoongi met him, but everyone’s nice when they need you to do something for them. People with as much money as him don’t get to their place in life without being either an asshole or an elite with generational wealth. Even the people in this neighborhood with slightly more income than Yoongi look down upon him, why would this rich man go out of his way to be different?</p><p> </p><p>He resolves to save any and all money that he can and not use the card Namjoon gave him just yet. That doesn't stop the other man from checking in every other day, however. He's always asking if Yoongi needs anything. If he still had three jobs, he might find it annoying, but his burden has lessened quite a bit thanks to the younger man, so he takes it all in stride.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>Namjoon</em> </span>
  <br/>
  <em>I had my assistant open up a bank account for you. You do have to go in person to give them your credentials and pick up your debit card, but I’ll email you the details.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>Yoongi</em> </span>
  <br/>
  <em>Thank you</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>Namjoon</em> </span>
  <br/>
  <em>It’s no problem. Hoseok’s been pretty busy at work. I’m not sure if the contract will be ready any time soon, but I’ll keep you posted. If you need anything at all, just let me know.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi goes to the bank, anxious without really knowing why. Financial institutions tend to work against him, not with him.  He nearly has a heart attack when they hand him his debit card and a copy of his initial deposit.</p><p> </p><p>“This can’t be correct,” he balks.</p><p> </p><p>The bank teller sweats nervously. “This is the amount Mr. Kim asked us to transfer to your account.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi stares at her. “This is ten million won.” She stammers out an apology, but he’s not paying attention anymore.</p><p> </p><p>He calls Namjoon the moment he leaves the bank, expecting a voicemail but he gets the man instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi hyung?”</p><p> </p><p>“I know I said I needed money, but I’m not comfortable with you forking over millions of won before we even enter the contract.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon sighs. “Listen, hyung, I’m just trying to make sure you don’t need anything. You’re not exactly being forthcoming with your needs,” he mutters.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry. Would you prefer I ask you for a mansion and ten cars right off the bat?” Yoongi scoffs.</p><p> </p><p>He knew it. These people with money think they can throw it around any way they like, like other people’s pride is just a game to them.</p><p> </p><p>“I just want to make sure you’re comfortable. Pretty soon you’ll be dealing with all the bullshit my life contains. I just wanted to preemptively soothe the burns. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just, please don’t do that again. Not until we sign the contract.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine. How are you aside from the money? Have you paid your bills? I know you quit one of your jobs already but how’re the other two?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi stops in his tracks and nearly trips someone walking behind him.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you know I quit at the restaurant? Who told you?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi loves Park Sodam like a sister, but she’s a bit of a blabber mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon clears his throat and hums. “I, uh...”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi grits his teeth.</p><p> </p><p>“Today, Namjoon.” He’s being pretty bossy with the person who holds all the cards right now, he knows, but this is unsettling.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, listen, I know this is going to sound bad but this is just standard protocol in my life, so please don’t freak out. I swear, I’m not trying to imply anything—“</p><p> </p><p>“Jesus, Namjoon, just tell me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I hired someone to...look into you, I guess. Wait, that sounds bad. It’s not what it sounds like!” Namjoon reasons.</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck? What the hell does ‘looking into’ me mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“I had to make sure you were who you said you were. I’m sorry, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>“I could’ve told you everything you needed to know. You don’t need someone to run a background check, Jesus. Am I being followed? Is this phone being tapped or wired or something?” He pulls it away from his ear and takes a look. No one's touched it since he got it, he thinks, but rich people don't necessarily have to try too hard to have phones tapped.</p><p> </p><p>"Of course not," Namjoon snaps. He's actually offended, which just makes Yoongi scoff. The nerve of this man to be offended when he's the one invading others' lives.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s just something we do, hyung. I had to be sure of who you were.”</p><p> </p><p>“Had to make sure the poor kid was really poor, huh?” Yoongi loosens the fist he’s balled up. He feels an ache in his jaw from how hard it’s clenched. How fucking degrading. Namjoon must know everything. The sad state of all Yoongi's affairs has probably been compiled into a file for the younger man already. His heart stutters at the thought.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Namjoon sighs. “I didn’t tell you only because I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”</p><p> </p><p>“How much do you know? No, never mind, I don’t want to know.”</p><p> </p><p>“I promise it’s not because I don’t trust you,” Namjoon says.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi doesn’t know how to respond to that, so he doesn’t.</p><p> </p><p>Back at the library, he does his own research. He might not have private investigators at his disposal, but being poor never stopped Yoongi from learning how to Google search someone.</p><p> </p><p>Kim Namjoon, son of a well-to-do family. His father is a prominent businessman and his mother is the director of Seoul’s National Museum of Korea. Both of his parents sit on the board of directors for various nonprofits and their supposed net worth makes Yoongi’s cough when he reads it. They’re not just rich and well-connected, they’re the kind of people who make others rich and well-connected just by being in their presence.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon himself is a financial analyst and risk assessor for the Seoul Branch of a multi-national company based in Hong Kong. He’s supposedly fluent in Korean, English, Japanese, and Italian. He spent years studying abroad, according to the internet. Dated noted socialite Kim Jennie during his university years. He’s not a chaebol, technically speaking, but only because his family doesn’t care for running companies like Samsung. They diversify their portfolios.</p><p> </p><p>But the most notable thing about Namjoon (to others, maybe) is that he is the grandson of the late Kim Taewook, owner of prized real estate in Boseong. The Boseong Kims, as the society articles Yoongi chances upon state, are old money.</p><p> </p><p>Very old money. They have the kind of prestige that requires several generations of wealth and business savvy. They dine with politicians, attend galas overseas, and own homes in every corner of the world. They’re fame-adjacent, by the looks of it—not known intimately by the public, but well-known by those in upper crust of Korean society. And it is all due to their riches from their early days in Boseong.</p><p> </p><p>Truthfully, Yoongi never considered this when he agreed. He feels pretty stupid now, all things considered. He should have brought it up. Being a prominent person’s bit on the side is one thing. A person paid solely for intimacy can exist in the shadows. A person who marries into high society has no such access to privacy. The moment Yoongi steps out on Namjoon’s arm he’ll be known. And it looks like that matters in Namjoon’s world. A person’s pedigree matters in that small, gilded bubble of Korean society.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi’s never been anything. He never went to college. He doesn’t have any money. For a second he wonders whether Namjoon isn’t just doing this to embarrass some poor schmuck for fun. Bring a starving twenty-something into a jungle of riches and watch the lions feast upon him.</p><p> </p><p>Then he feels bad for the thought. Namjoon hasn’t done anything to warrant his suspicions. If anything, he’s disproving them. What kind of rich person gives a poor person a coat, laptop, and smartphone for the sake of a mean joke?</p><p> </p><p>Then again, what kind of good person has someone's background checked for their own piece of mind? He shoves that thought to the back of his mind and starts thinking instead of the future.</p><p> </p><p>What will life be like when he is someone’s husband? Yoongi can’t honestly say he ever even thought about it. Being someone’s husband. Mostly he spent his younger years dreaming of survival.</p><p> </p><p>He wonders what being married will be like? Especially a marriage underpinned by a motive other than love, such as this one. And will Namjoon change once he’s inherited the manor he speaks of? At night, he dreams of Namjoon’s high-rise penthouse apartment. It was, from what he saw, so vast, yet so cold. Impersonal. What must it be like to live so far above everyone else with no real worries except for your inheritance? How could anyone with so much good fortune be as seemingly kind as Namjoon without an ulterior motive? Yoongi isn’t naïve enough to think that things can be so simple.</p><p> </p><p>His future husband calls three days later to tell him that Hoseok is taking longer than expected to complete the first draft of their contract but promises it will be done soon.</p><p> </p><p>“It will be another week or so on top of the two I told you, sorry. Hobi’s been having issues with one of his clients and he needs to focus on that.” Namjoon apologizes.</p><p> </p><p>That’s fine, Yoongi answers distractedly. Admittedly, his mind is elsewhere, thanks to all the information he now has on Namjoon.</p><p> </p><p>“You okay? You sound busy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, just…thinking,” Yoongi answers breezily, hoping Namjoon won’t dig too deep.</p><p> </p><p>“About what?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi wonders whether he should speak truthfully to the man who will soon be his husband. He pauses for just a bit too long.</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi hyung? Are you still there?”</p><p> </p><p>“I looked into you,” he blurts out, wincing as he realizes how that sounds.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon coughs on the other end, “…that’s fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi can’t tell Namjoon’s emotions through his tone just yet, but it sounds like a bluff.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, I could’ve given you any information you felt the need to know," he repeats Yoongi's words back to him, but without the bite, "but I understand why you felt the need to do that, especially after I went behind your back and did it in the first place.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?” Yoongi sighs. “You’re not upset?”</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, I’d be a hypocrite if I was. How did you do it? Did you hire someone? That’s an amusing thought. Having a private investigator look into me using my own money,” he chuckles.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi bristles at that. “Actually, I Googled you. No investigators were hired.”</p><p> </p><p>This time, it’s Namjoon who sighs down the line.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Yoongi asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Just, take any information you found with a grain of salt, yeah? Not everything you read on the internet is true.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi scoffs, “I may be poor, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I know how the internet works.”</p><p> </p><p>“But do you know how the world in which I operate works?” Namjoon challenges.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi frowns. “Don’t treat me like I’m some bumbling country bumpkin just because I don’t know what your elite social circle is like. Not all of us grown up with silver spoons in our mouths and snakes for friends.”</p><p> </p><p>Once again he’s discomfited by the way Namjoon seems to expect things from him. Like he expects Yoongi to be some docile idiot who lets the younger throw money at his problems. That’s not who he is. Yoongi has his pride.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re right, I’m sorry. It’s not fair of me to do that to you.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s really not. I don’t mean to be rude, Namjoon, but I don’t care how much money you’re giving me. I’m not the kind of person whose pleasant demeanor can be bought. If you want my respect and good company, you earn it. I expect you feel the same? If so, then we understand each other.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon is silent for a good minute, and Yoongi begins to suspect with a sinking feeling that this is a point of contention for Namjoon, maybe even a deal breaker for the younger man. But the moment passes as soon as Namjoon responds.</p><p> </p><p>“Understood, hyung. And just to be clear, I don’t feel like you owe me your respect. The…transactional nature of this relationship has no bearing on what I expect from you personally, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression."</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi just hums in assent and they move on to different matters, such as Yoongi’s two other jobs, at the convenience store and at the bar, which he plans to quit right before he signs the contract.</p><p> </p><p>“I’d like for you to hire a lawyer of your own, hyung. If you want I can send you a list of some good ones in Daegu.”</p><p> </p><p>“What do I need a lawyer for?” Yoongi asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Usually, a lawyer will help you go over the specific verbiage of a contract. Hoseok will be coming down with me to discuss everything with you, and he can explain everything to you, I thought you’d feel better if you had someone you hired yourself. Just to make sure your best interests are taken care of,” Namjoon explains.</p><p> </p><p>He sounds earnest and this becomes a point in favor of Namjoon in Yoongi’s book. <em>He’s not trying to scam me,</em> he thinks. At least not yet.</p><p> </p><p>“I wouldn’t even know where to start. I don’t even know anyone who’s been sued or been the one suing.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon chuckles at that. “Ah, hyung. You’ll soon meet many people who can give you recommendations for lawyers in Seoul.”</p><p> </p><p>They part with a promise that everything is okay between them, and Yoongi decides to take up Jihoon's perennial offer of playing basketball at a local park. Usually, Yoongi's pretty tired, but now he's only got two jobs and a hell of a lot of free time on his hands. He tells his cousin that he's got the day off work from the restaurant as he picks him up from school, and the younger nearly shouts for joy when Yoongi tells him the plan. </p><p> </p><p>Of all his family members, Jihoon is the one Yoongi will hate leaving the most. His mother is strong, and though it will hurt her to lose her second son, Yoongi knows she'll survive. But Jihoon...he looks up to Yoongi. He talks often about wanting to he as hard-working as his cousin. He idolizes the older and Yoongi knows that it will break his cousin's heart to be abandoned. He tries not to think about it too much as they goof around on the court. Someday, Jihoon might understand.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon promised he’d be able to see his family after they marry, but the question is whether they’ll want to see Yoongi. For all they will know, he’s abandoning them to become part a rich man’s life in Seoul. He hopes he doesn't lose them because of this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hoseok takes longer than expected to complete the first draft of their contract, but eventually Namjoon calls Yoongi to set up a time for him to come down to Daegu so Yoongi can view the contract. Yoongi asks Sodam to be there with him, as well as a lawyer with good recommendations whom he found online. By the time Namjoon shows up with a very well-dressed man in tow, Yoongi’s fingernails are all but obliterated.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, hello! Nice to meet you all on this fine day. You must be Yoongi!” the man at Namjoon’s side all but exclaims. Yoongi would laugh at his exuberance, if not for how Namjoon is grimacing.</p><p> </p><p>“My name is Jung Hoseok. I’m sure Namjoon has mentioned me, Yoongi-ssi.”</p><p> </p><p>Before Yoongi can reply, Namjoon groans. “Hobi, can you please introduce yourself to my fiancé later. I’m sure everyone here has important things to get to after this.”</p><p> </p><p>Sodam, bless her heart, doesn’t look up from the magazine she's brought, nor does she say what she’s clearly itching to say. They have literally nothing else to do. Well, maybe not Yoongi’s lawyer. He seems like a busy man.</p><p> </p><p>“Right, sorry bossypants.” Namjoon facepalms. Hoseok adopts a more serious air. “Yoongi-ssi, I’ve brought the marriage contract that Namjoon promised. It was written per Namjoon’s specifications, but this is just the first draft. I’d like for you and your counsel to go review all of the provisions, and if you have any questions or concerns, we can discuss them and come up with a compromise, hopefully.”</p><p> </p><p>He hands Yoongi’s lawyer, Mr. Choi, a file and asks whether they mind if he and Namjoon step out to the coffee shop next door to the office. Yoongi agrees and soon he and Sodam are left with the lawyer and contract.</p><p> </p><p>It’s simple and quite straightforward. Yoongi will marry Namjoon and move to Seoul with him. He will attend any official work events with the younger man, as well as any family engagements where his presence is required. Namjoon will provide for Yoongi’s housing, utilities, and various other basic necessities free of charge. For the duration of their union, Yoongi will not be required to work, but should he choose to, he will be required to ensure that the employment does not interfere with the duties outlined in the contract.</p><p> </p><p>The contract length is set for two years, with a pre-set divorce settlement (should they choose to dissolve the union right at the two year mark) of a 50/50 asset split. The only thing Namjoon has specified that he is not willing to part with is, obviously, his grandfather’s manor.”</p><p> </p><p>“All in all, mister Min, I’d say this contract is quite generous,” Mr. Choi states. He’s a smart looking man in his early-thirties who would be quite the eye candy if Yoongi wasn’t more preoccupied with legal matters at the moment. “Mister Kim has specified that you will not be required to disclose any of your personal expenditures to him and he has included everything from gasoline for your car to hospital stays as part of the incidentals he is willing to pay for. There is a clause about property acquisition, however, that I think we should look at.”</p><p> </p><p>They spend the next hour going over every section and clause to make sure Yoongi has no objections, but the contract is just as straightforward as the lawyer said. Namjoon is as honest in this as he has been otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>By the time they call Namjoon and Hoseok back, Yoongi is ready.</p><p> </p><p>“Any questions or concerns?” Hoseok asks, looking much less like a lawyer and more like a college kid at graduation, with his suit jacket missing, sunglasses on his head, and a sugary coffee drink in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi’s lawyer points out the sections that they’d like to discuss, and Hoseok puts his serious face on. Yoongi takes a moment as each man speaks for their party to really look at Namjoon for the first time today. He’s just as handsome as he was the first time Yoongi saw him, in a button down shirt and smart trousers. He must notice Yoongi’s gaze, because he smiles and moves to sit next to Yoongi on the couch.</p><p> </p><p>“How are you, hyung?” He asks.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi recounts his day and only blushes a little when Sodam randomly looks up from her phone long enough to notice Namjoon sitting next to them and blurts, “Holy shit, you’re hot!” Namjoon grins sheepishly and Yoongi wants to die at the sight of dimples!</p><p> </p><p>The embarrassment is cut short when both lawyers announce they’ve figured everything out and can move forward to the specific financial details. Everyone turns to Yoongi when they reach the clause about a monthly allowance.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” He blinks.</p><p> </p><p>“Mister Kim has indicated to mister Jung that the monthly allowance is to be specified by you, with some restrictions of course.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi turns to Namjoon, confused. “Shouldn’t you be the one specifying how much money I get?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon shrugs, “I don’t know your needs. And I trust you not to be outrageously extravagant with your costs.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi gulps. He’s not rich. He doesn’t know what an extravagant amount would be. Namjoon simply smiles.</p><p> </p><p>“Um…I was thinking, maybe three-million won a month?” he rasps out. He has no idea if that’s an amount the younger would be willing to give him, but it’s the amount he gave Yoongi during their first meeting.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon nods, and Yoongi’s lawyer quickly scribbles it down onto the paper. He smiles at Yoongi once more, as if to say he's chosen well.</p><p> </p><p>“As far as the divorce settlement,” Hoseok speaks, “if you two choose to divorce at the two-year mark, the settlement outlined in this contract will be legally binding. At any point before or after two years have passed, this settlement will be null and void. Any questions about that?”</p><p> </p><p>Both Yoongi and Namjoon shake their heads.</p><p> </p><p>“Perfect! Then I think we’re done here! Yoongi-ssi, all that’s left is to set a date for the wedding. On that day, both you and Namjoon will sign the contract before the ceremony. I will forward the finalized contract to your lawyer and provide you a copy as well.” Hoseok smiles a dazzling smile and claps his hands.</p><p> </p><p>Sodam yawns loudly and Yoongi pinches her side.</p><p> </p><p>“I think that’s our cue to end here,” Namjoon chuckles.</p><p> </p><p>As they step out, Namjoon takes Yoongi by the elbow and pulls him off to the side. Sodam raises her eyebrow at that but otherwise smiles and walks off in the direction of the subway entrance, clearly not willing to wait for Yoongi to go back together.</p><p> </p><p>“I wanted to speak to you about the date for the ceremony, hyung.” Namjoon’s smile is kind and unoffensive, but Yoongi can sense something behind it. Anxiousness? Maybe. Yoongi nods his assent.</p><p> </p><p>“Now that the contract’s being finalized, I think we should set a date for as soon as possible. I don’t want to risk anything. Time’s counting down and my grandfather’s lawyer is breathing down my neck,” Namjoon admits sheepishly.</p><p> </p><p>“All right, when did you have in mind?” Yoongi bites his lip.</p><p> </p><p>It’s all real, now. Not that it wasn’t before, but it’s all real now for Yoongi. As soon as he signs that contract, his life belongs to someone. For two years only, if he’s lucky, but still. He belongs to someone from the minute his pen touches that paper.</p><p> </p><p>“I was thinking you could come up to Seoul next week? How about Friday? I’ll have our appointment at the courthouse set up earlier in the day so we can get down here after and I can meet your family. You can come up to Seoul that day or stay for the weekend if you’d prefer,” Namjoon smiles graciously.</p><p> </p><p>The thought of Kim Namjoon anywhere near his rundown home turns Yoongi’s stomach, but he doesn’t show it. Namjoon has looked into him, Yoongi's sure he knows what to expect by now. Instead of ruminating further he nods and agrees to the plan.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not sure how much you’ll be planning to bring to Seoul. Should I rent a moving truck?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi snorts. His list of worldly possessions pales in comparison to Namjoon’s. He doesn’t even think he could fill a mover’s truck with their entire family’s assorted belongings. “No need, it won’t take me long to get my things ready.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s all settled, then.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi supposes it is.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I imagine Mr. Choi to be Choi Woo-shik, but you can imagine any hot lawyer LOL</p><p> </p><p>Also, I'll be away for the next couple of weeks, but I hope to update soon! :D Thank you to every who gives kudos, bookmarks, and leaves your comments! I get really happy and it gives me motivation. You guys are the best!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Ceremony, the Truth, and the Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I lied, I thought I'd be away for much longer than I was. This chapter didn't take me nearly as long to get done as I thought. Also, I think this is by far the longest chapter I've written.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
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<p>Yoongi is picked up on a cold Friday in November. Sejin is driving him again. This time he wears the coat Namjoon bought him over a new suit that the younger man was kind enough to have sent over once Yoongi had his measurements taken. He feels silly, like a child in adult clothes on his way to see people much more suited for this type of attire.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d washed himself as best he could with all the dread and anxiety running through him, rushing to Sodam’s house in order to get changed there. She had sent him off with a look that Yoongi doesn’t want to call pity. Maybe resignation. The look sits heavy in his stomach for the entire ride.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the first time in his life, Yoongi has no obligations. He quit both of his remaining jobs just yesterday. He doesn’t have anywhere to be except right where he is. And he’s on time for once. By the time he steps out in front of the courthouse in Seoul, Namjoon and Hoseok are already there, along with a tall and handsome man who looks vaguely familiar. There are other people as well, couples and their families by the looks of it, looking much more ready to be wed than Yoongi.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He walks up to Namjoon and gives a shaky smile, which becomes a gasp of surprise when the younger pecks him on the cheek and puts a hand around his waist. Yoongi can’t help but blush at the soft intimacy of the act, even if it is just for show. He's never been blind to Namjoon's looks or kindness. His heartbeat quickens involuntarily.</p>
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<p>Namjoon immediately introduces the stranger as his cousin Seokjin, who smiles jovially and says he’ll be acting as Yoongi’s witness during the ceremony, per Namjoon’s request.</p>
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<p>“Thank you, Seokjin-ssi.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please, Yoongi, call me hyung. Namjoonie says you’re a year younger than me, and we’re about to become family,” Seokjin smiles with a face as flawless as Yoongi has ever seen, and he suddenly remembers something but is distracted by a loud voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"And I'm practically family already!" Hoseok interjects, looking much less lawyerly today in a simple dress shirt, slacks, and designer moccasins. "Joonie and I have been friends forever!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"More like frenemies," Namjoon mutters under his breath. Yoongi smiles as kindly as he can at his new family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve seen you somewhere before, right?” Yoongi asks Seokjin, blushing slightly when the older man chuckles. He's handsome to a degree that Yoongi had no idea could exist in real life. He doesn't really get to see handsome men in real life much. Now he's in the presence of three.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was wondering if you would recognize me. I don’t mean to be immodest, but most people recognize me pretty quickly.”</p>
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<p>Namjoon scowls, “Your face is plastered over half the buildings in this city, hyung. They’d be blind not to notice you.”</p>
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<p>“Don’t be jealous of your hyung, Namjoonie. It’s unbecoming. To answer your question Yoongi, I’m an actor. An award-winning actor. And I have enough sponsorship deals that you'll be seeing me wherever you go here in Seoul,” Seokjin winks at him. Yoongi startles when Namjoon pulls him noticeably closer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He recognizes him then. He’s on the 8pm drama that usually plays in the restaurant when Yoongi has the evening shift. Well, had.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Joon-ah has told me so much about you, Yoongi. He said he was mesmerized by you the minute he saw you,” Seokjin teases. He must be like an older brother to Namjoon. Yoongi knows so little about the man he's about to marry; his heart lurches at the thought. Namjoon coughs and redirects the conversation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’re scheduled for the 9:30 slot, only one other couple ahead of them, and Yoongi wonders if Namjoon pulled some strings. The man is certainly capable of that, judging by what Yoongi knows of him so far. He chimes in occasionally through their banter and tries to look natural as Namjoon holds his hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hand-holding, for Yoongi, was once a dream. He used to dream about holding hands with cute boys when he was younger. Even if homosexuality was still frowned upon in certain overtly-religious circles and he wasn't out to his family yet, Yoongi didn’t mind the thought of being out and about with a boy, holding hands in the streets. He dreamed of it. Dreamed of finding someone who would love and be loved by him, and their hands would meet and sparks would fly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eventually, he grew and came to understand that for people like him, who had much more to be worried about than frivolous dreams of innocent intimacy, something as small as this would never be allowed or encouraged. His thoughts on hand-holding were dispelled and disrupted as time went on and he learned to hold onto more important things, like employment and money.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He squeezes Namjoon’s hand without realizing it and smiles softly as Namjoon squeezes back without word. Eventually, as the clock ticks nearer to 9 o’clock they stand closer to the entrance. Namjoon mentions another cousin coming briefly, says “You’ll know him when you see him,” and he’s right. While Seokjin is aptly dressed for a courthouse wedding in a smart jacket and dress pants, Namjoon’s younger cousin shows up in a dark blue velvet blazer with black lapels and glittery boots, looking like he belongs on a runway instead of an old government building.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His hair is messily styled with permed locks and his smile is square when he bounds up to them. Yoongi can’t help but smile at how adorable he is, like a puppy. He wonders if it's the money that makes this family so good-looking or if the good looks make the money.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey hyungs! Hey Hobi hyung, long time no see! And this must be Yoongi,” he enthuses, placing a kiss on the back of Yoongi’s hand like some Disney prince. Yoongi stifles an unexpected giggle at Namjoon’s tired sigh and instead turns to find his lawyer, slightly ruffled, in a much more setting-appropriate suit than Taehyung’s. He settles in to Namjoon’s side as the younger thanks the lawyer for coming and they all step inside the building.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s never had the need to go inside a courthouse before, so he stops to take a look around while the two lawyers go over the contract once more to the side. The building is historic, but the inside is modern enough. Yoongi finds himself charmed by what he's seen so far of the city, despite knowing deep down inside that it will probably never fully feel like home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon squeezes his hand to draw his attention and says, “Hyung, let’s sit here for a moment.” He motions to a bench outside the room where, Yoongi assumes, they’ll be married. Once seated, he pulls out a ring box. Yoongi’s heart jolts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Taehyung’s been eyeing your ring finger since we got here. I told him you chose not to wear the engagement ring I got you for fear of losing it,” Namjoon whispers, lips close enough to Yoongi’s ear that he has to try his hardest not to shiver. One look to the other side of the room shows that Taehyung and Seokjin are sneaking looks at them and conversing. Or maybe the right word is gossiping, like Yoongi's favorite ahjummas at the restaurant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t know if he really bought the excuse, but I also don’t care. I do have an engagement ring for you back at the apartment, it’s actually a complementary piece to this,” he opens up the box and Yoongi sees a platinum wedding band with small round diamonds inlaid down the center of the band all the way around. Just by looking at it he can tell that Namjoon spent good money.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I got us a matching set, though yours goes with the engagement ring I got. It’s the same band, but with a diamond in the center.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi stares at the box in Namjoon’s hands, trying to picture himself ever receiving something like this outside of this situation. He can’t imagine it. Instead he feels the stares of Namjoon’s cousins and wonders if they’re thinking the same thing he is. He doesn’t belong with someone like Namjoon. Yoongi doesn’t belong in their world. This kind of luxury is not meant for a person who looks and lives like him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looks up to find Namjoon smiling nervously. “We can always exchange it if you don’t like it,” he assures, but Yoongi doesn’t pay his concern any mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon is something else. His perception of Yoongi’s mood fluctuations is eerily astute, even if his understanding of their cause is pedestrian at best. Yoongi knows he needs to play his part now, in the public sphere where people will take note of him and talk. He looks the younger in the eye and says, “I love it, thank you,” and places a lingering kiss to the younger’s cheek.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s a bold action, to be sure. Yoongi thinks he hears Taehyung squeal none-too-quietly, but he’s too busy short-circuiting at the feeling in his stomach. Something like hope. He tells himself that it's the hope that someday this farce will end kindly in both their favors and not just blown up in his face. But his treacherous heart speaks of a different hope. Namjoon takes his hand and presses their foreheads together, looking him in the eye sincerely. “I promise I’ll take care of you, hyung. You don’t have to worry.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi can’t do anything but smile softly and thank him, feeling like the moment is building up to something. What? He doesn’t know, but it ends before he gets to figure that out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gentlemen,” Yoongi’s lawyer intrudes kindly, “your prenuptial agreement is ready to be signed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A pre-nup. That’s what they’ve agreed to call their contract in the presence of others not in the know. Taehyung and Seokjin are busy having some sort of heavy conversation anyway, but Yoongi is thankful anyway that the word “contract” isn’t used. He doesn’t know what Namjoon’s cousins would think if they knew the true nature of their union. They certainly would look at him differently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And you’re up next,” Hoseok points out, as the couple who went in before them leave the courtroom, beaming smiles on their faces. Yoongi takes note of their elation. It will be his turn soon and he wants to play his part correctly. It won’t be hard to smile next to Namjoon, he’s sure, but the heaviness he feels inside is hard to hide.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He watches Namjoon sign on the dotted lines first, then does the same himself, and within minutes they’re called in.  Hoseok and the lawyer hand over the necessary documents to the officiant and Yoongi and Namjoon step up to the front.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In all honesty, Yoongi checks out during the ceremony, paying little attention to the words being spoken. It’s not real, and yet, Yoongi wishes it was. Not necessarily this here now with Namjoon. He wishes, in this instant, for real love. Companionship. The things he never allowed himself to want. Could never allow himself to even think about. This ceremony is all show, whether anyone but their lawyers knows it or not, but maybe someday it won't be. Maybe someday someone will want him for real. He thinks he can allow himself that small dream, at least. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stares straight ahead and nods at the words spoken to him, feeling very little except Namjoon’s hand in his. He thinks about how much his life has changed in less than a month. At this time he’d be at the convenience store, restocking shelves. He’d be dealing with his regulars at the restaurant. He’d be worrying about how he was going to make rent this month.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now, Kim Namjoon, a wealthy man who knows nothing of hardship like he does, is placing a ring on his finger and waiting to hear the words “I do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He says the words, feeling the cool metal band slide up his ring finger, and then does the same for Namjoon. Something like lead forms in the pit of his stomach when the officiant says the newlyweds can kiss. Yoongi is not inexperienced, but he’s also not the kind of person who goes around kissing people he barely knows. Still, everyone in the courtroom is expecting them to do the thing that couples do when they get married, so Yoongi closes his eyes and allows Namjoon’s lips to meet his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s a short kiss, but not a peck. The kind of kiss that nervous lovers share when they’ve just decided to turn their <em>some</em>into something more. The kind of kiss that has a warmth that could just as easily fizzle out or ignite into a fire. Regardless, the rest of the men in their party clap and Taehyung hoots and hollers while the officiant rolls her eyes distastefully at his lack of propriety.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As they walk out into the sun, Yoongi feels the heavy weight of a diamond band on his finger and not much else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their wedding “reception” consists of lunch in the private section of an upscale restaurant. He watches Yoongi fidget in his seat as they wait for their entrees, cutely glancing down at the ring on his finger that matches the one Namjoon is wearing now. He feels torn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’re both doing this for their own reasons, but Namjoon can’t help but think he got the better end of the deal, truly. It’s ridiculous how quickly he decided on Yoongi. Possibly foolish, as well. They know so little about each other, hardly anything at all. But the minute he saw the older man's profile, he was sold. And the minute Yoongi replied, Namjoon didn’t even bother with the others. Whatever careful consideration and planning he’d done up until that point was moot. It was Yoongi. From the moment he saw him. Whether it was the wrong choice, whether it will upset his parents, none of it mattered the minute he laid eyes on the gorgeous man next to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now it’s Yoongi for the next two years. Namjoon doesn’t dare hope for more. Already he’s getting so much more than he deserves. Yoongi is giving him so much, and he doesn’t even realize it. Namjoon knows he should feel worse, bringing Yoongi into a world that chews people up and spits them out like they’re playthings, but he can’t bring himself to regret the choices he’s made. Maybe he’s really as selfish as the world (and his family) thinks he is, to think that he can put Yoongi through the ring of fire and have them both come out of this unscathed at the end. But right now it feels so right. Yoongi slots in so perfectly against his body, even if he's incongruent with the rest of the younger's life. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shall we order some champagne?” Taehyung asks, waggling his eyebrows at Yoongi. The older snorts and turns to Namjoon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is all your family very fond of day-drinking?” he asks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uncle Joohyuk certainly is,” Namjoon comments. “Jin hyung’s father. That man can drink an elephant under the table.”</p>
<p><br/><br/>Yoongi’s laughter is so pretty. Namjoon isn’t stupid enough to believe that Yoongi’s smiles and laughter are completely, or even half-way real, considering the nature of their charade. Still, there’s a hope inside of him that he may someday get to experience the real ones. They have seven-hundred and some days together from here, he'll work hard to earn them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tell me about your family,” Yoongi asks, placing a hand on top of Namjoon’s. The heart that was beating normally up until now stutters and then takes off at a breakneck pace. Who knew handholding could be a kink?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My father is the eldest of grandfather’s surviving children. He lost two when they were very young. Then comes Aunt Sora, followed by Uncle Hyunsoo—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My father,” Taehyung grouses. Namjoon silently sympathizes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“—followed by Uncle Joohyuk, that’s Jin hyung’s dad, and finally by our Aunt Nari.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The accident baby,” Taehyung and Seokjin chorus. Yoongi snorts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everyone else was born in pretty quick succession. She’s was born four years after Uncle Joohyuk,” Namjoon explains.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then there’s all the spouses and cousins, but I won’t bore you with that,” Namjoon says as their food comes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They eat Italian food, the five of them (minus Yoongi’s lawyer who had to head back to Daegu), and Namjoon tries his hardest to impress his new husband with tales of his recent trip to Italy. He feels like a whale doing tricks in a show, trying his hardest to amuse Yoongi, who simply sips at his champagne and smiles distractedly.</p>
<p><br/>“I could take you there, sometime, if you’d like,” he offers, finally succeeding in parting Yoongi from his ruminating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t even have a passport,” Yoongi replies easily, though he looks almost ashamed to admit it. Yoongi seems to be ashamed about a lot of things. Namjoon can’t help the way he places a finger beneath Yoongi’s chin, tipping his head up so their eyes meet. If anyone were to ask, he’d say he’s just putting on a believable show. Truthfully, Namjoon likes having his hands on Yoongi. He wouldn’t mind having the excuse to do it more often.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s what your husband’s here for.” He forces himself not to shudder at the cringe-inducing embarrassment he feels for saying that, remaining as confident as he always pretends to be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi blushes faintly as a half-way tipsy Taehyung repeats “that’s what your husband’s here for” over and over while Hoseok and Seokjin laugh at the cheesiness. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon just keeps smiling, running a soft fingertip over Yoongi's soft cheek, enjoying his fake spouse far too much.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The drive back to Daegu is anticlimactic and it ends six blocks away from the actual house. Yoongi insists that Sejin park the flashy SUV Namjoon has rented on a commercial road. The walk to Yoongi’s house leaves them sweaty, despite the November chill.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But hyung, why do we have to park so far away?” Namjoon asks, looking completely out of place in an expensive-looking long-sleeve t-shirt and some designer sweatpants They changed clothes before coming; Yoongi, being nervous about the meeting, had demanded it after lunch. Now, Yoongi is out of formal wear and wearing an old hoodie and ratty jeans. He feels like Cinderella, pre-godmother.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did you not read the info you dug up about me? What part of ‘I’m poor’ did you not get, Namjoon?” Yoongi snarks exasperatedly, anxiety balling up in knots in his stomach. “Did you happen to think I live in a gated community? I don’t want people getting the wrong idea if we show up in a car like that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He leads Namjoon in the direction of his family’s home, thankful that at this time in the day people are indoors, either working or at home avoiding the chill that’s beginning to set in. He doesn’t know what he’s going to say to his mother when they get there. How exactly does one tell their mother they’re a mail-order bride? They walk up to the smallest house on the street and Yoongi’s time runs out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Welcome to Casa de Min,” he mutters.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He doesn’t chance a look in Namjoon’s direction. The other has no doubt seen the rickety chain fence, the fading paint and the broken window sealed over with masking tape. Just as he’s about to suggest they turn around and give his mother a call instead, Namjoon takes his hand and the front door opens.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jihoon runs out, an old, worn-down basketball in hand, and stops in his tracks when he sees Yoongi. “Hyung! What’s going on?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi sighs, leading them both inside the house.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s the meaning of this, Yoongi?” his mother demands. “What do you mean you’re married?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi looks at all of his family members. His uncle sits feverish on the couch next to his wife, while Sejeong and Jisoo sit cross-legged at their feet. Jihoon is nowhere to be found, having run out the minute the confession left Yoongi’s mouth. His mother paces back and forth. The whole family’s faces are grim and Yoongi can’t even smile convincingly because his heart is torn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi hangs his head, “I’m sorry, Eomma, I just—“  He’s interrupted by a hacking, raspy cough from the direction of his uncle, looking more frail than ever. Namjoon cuts in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s my fault, Eomeonim. Yoongi hyung wanted to tell you about us, but I wouldn’t let him-” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was speaking to <em>my son,</em>” Yoongi’s mother retorts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In any other situation, it might be funny to watch Namjoon cower like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs, intimidated by a woman whose luck in life could never hold a candle to his. But Yoongi sees real anger—and fear—in his mother’s eyes. She’s scared of what he’s telling her, hurt by it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He feels a sharp pain stab him in the stomach, but reminds himself that, realistically, this is the only way he can help them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yoongi whatever foolishness you’ve gotten yourself into, you need to end it right now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He protests, telling her he can explain. His mother is nothing if not stubborn, though. It’s a trait he inherited from her. She doesn’t listen, collapsing into a chair nearby with her hands pulling at her graying hair. She speaks over him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My little dumpling, what have you done?” she asks soflty, tears in her eyes. Her anger has given way to grief.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eomma, whatever you think is going on, I promise it’s not like that. Namjoon is a good man, and he loves me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you love him?” his mother asks gravely.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No. That’s the truth. Yoongi doesn’t love Namjoon. And he may never have the chance to do so, especially if Namjoon doesn't want to love him back. But he loves his family enough to lie convincingly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, I do. From the moment I met him, he’s taken care of me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That is the only truth Yoongi can give. Namjoon has taken care of him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How did this happen? You say you're too busy to spend time with the family because of your jobs, but now you're married and you're leaving?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Eomma!" Yoongi cries, unable to stand the sight of her pain, "I promise I wasn't lying. I would never hurt you."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Eomeonim," Namjoon tries again. "It's me you should be upset with. I convinced Yoongi-hyung to marry me. I was selfish. I couldn't stand the thought of not being with him. If anyone is to blame, it's me."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I need to be alone with my son right now," she says with finality, looking at Namjoon like he’s worth less than dirt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi feels Namjoon’s hand leave his as the younger asks the rest of the family to accompany him somewhere, clearly picking up on the fact that the rest of this conversation has to happen in private. Namjoon presses a kiss to his temple as he leads them out of the house, speaking in low tones with Sejin on the phone. Yoongi flinches under his mother’s gaze. There's no buffer now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Is this some scheme? Do you owe that man something? Is that why you married him?" his mother frets. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Eomma, I swear, Namjoon and I chose to marry. It's nothing like you think," he clenches his jaw, as if the truth could fly out of his mouth if he doesn't keep it shut.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How could you keep something like this a secret from your own mother?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I’m sorry. I was afraid you wouldn’t approve.” That’s not really a lie. Yoongi has always been afraid of what his mother would think of him loving a man.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t,” she replies icily. “How could I? I know nothing about this man. How did you even meet him? What does he do for a living?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He works in finance. I met him at the bar one night when he was visiting because of his job. He…swept me off my feet,” he finishes lamely. It’s not exactly a lie.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you think for a minute that you can outsmart your mother with lies, Min Yoongi, you’re mistaken.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eomma, I—“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is he paying you? Is that why you’re doing this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s throat feels like sandpaper. His mother’s eyes fill with tears.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He is, isn’t he?” She grasps his hands tightly in her own weathered ones. She’s worked so hard in life, and has so little to show for it. “You don’t have to do this, Yoongi.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How can you say that? How can you ask me not to do the one thing that will save us from living like this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’re adults, Yoongi. We can make our own choices. You’re still so young. You can’t just give up your life for money,” his mother sighs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not doing this for money, I’m doing it for security. I want you to be safe, and uncle to be healthy. I want the kids to grow up well without needing things they can’t afford. It was an opportunity and I took it of my own volition.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How can I trust that you’re not lying to me? How can I trust that he hasn’t brainwashed you or coerced you into this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi feels hurt, then. He might not be the most forthcoming person, but surely his mother knows he’s not so weak willed?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Namjoon isn’t like that. He needs me, and he’s been very eager to help us out with our financial situation. And I’m not so easily led, Eomma. I can make my own decisions.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Promise me…promise me that you’ll come back if he doesn’t treat you right. Money means nothing to me if my children can’t be happy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I promise I will. You don’t need to worry, Namjoon is kind. He cares for me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yoongi-yah, people like him only care about power and money.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Namjoon is different.” His mother scoffs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just remember, he must have reasons for doing this beyond your comprehension. Love doesn’t exist for the rich like it does for us.” Yoongi doesn’t respond. “This house will always be your home, whether you’re here or not. Come home if this <em>thing</em> doesn’t work out.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She pulls him into her arms then, hugging him just like she used to when he was a child.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eomma,” he hesitates, “You still love me right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I will always love you, my little dumpling.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Even…even if I’m in love with a man?” he asks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You don’t love that man, Yoongi,” she replies. “But someday you might. And that won’t change the love I have for you. You will always be my son.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s like an enormous weight comes off his shoulders then. The burden of keeping yet another secret lessens.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>But someday you might.</em> He doesn’t let her words crawl too deeply under his skin, even if he knows she might be right. One problem at a time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He holds onto his mother tightly for a while, remembering a time when she’d held him in the same manner, at his father’s funeral. As if letting go would be the most painful thing imaginable. Here and now, it’s just Yoongi and his mother, safe from the outside world that demands so much from them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A knock on the door startles them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sejin-ssi?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Forgive me for interrupting Yoongi-ssi, but Namjoon asked me to come back for you and Mrs. Min. He has something he’d like to show you both.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are we going?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sejin doesn’t answer, just leads them back to the car. Yoongi sees his neighborhood fade away as they near the center of the city. Downtown Daegu gleams through the windows, with busy but clean streets providing a background to chaotic life. They stop outside a building vaguely similar to Namjoon’s high rise, though much smaller and less grand. It’s the Daegu version of luxury.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why are we here, Sejin-ssi?” Yoongi asks as he helps his mother out of the car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Welcome home, Mrs. Min.” It’s Namjoon who says it, startling both Yoongi and his mother from the entrance to the building.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Namjoon—"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The rest of your family is upstairs, let me take you,” he walks over and nonchalantly sweeps Yoongi’s bangs away from his eyes. He smiles at the older as if any part of what he’s just said makes any sense. Home? How could this be home?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What did you do?” Yoongi asks lowly, already terrified of the answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His mother silently marvels at everything in the luxuriously decorated lobby and then at the view from the glass elevator, which is taking them suspiciously high.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t tell me you—" Namjoon places a finger to Yoongi’s lips, smiling teasingly. The older grunts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t ruin the surprise for your mother, hyung.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon, ever the gentleman, offers Yoongi’s mother his arm and says, “This way, ma’am,” as he leads her out of the elevator into what has to be the Daegu equivalent of a penthouse suite.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s nowhere near as fancy as Namjoon’s, but it’s light years away from their current home. The space is furnished comfortably, big couches with thick throw pillows visible from the entrance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi spots his aunt marveling at the kitchen appliances as he steps inside fully, his uncle relaxing comfortably on a love seat while the girls squeal, running from room to room. He feels lightheaded all of a sudden.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why would Namjoon do this?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looks to his mother and finds her taken aback, hand over her heart. It must be shocking in a way, to see just what Namjoon is capable of.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know,” Namjoon begins, speaking in low tones to Yoongi’s mother. If he weren’t within earshot, he would’ve missed the words, “it must be very hard to hear that your son will be moving to Seoul with a virtual stranger, Mrs. Min. But I promise you I will do everything in my power to keep your son safe and happy. Please, accept this apartment, not as a reparation, but rather as a thank you for raising such a wonderful son.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s mother frowns. “You won’t receive my blessing just by housing me in prime real estate, Mr….”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Kim Namjoon, ma’am. I don’t expect to win you over with this, this was borne out of my desire to ease Yoongi’s worries about his family’s safety, and my own selfish desire to see him happy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s cheeks heat. Whether Namjoon is lying or telling the truth, his words set free something warm and fluttery in Yoongi’s stomach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He decides to scope out the rest of the apartment, surprised to find it contains five bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a large living and dining area. Each of the kids could have their own bedroom here. Yoongi gulps at the thought of how much this place must have cost.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>By the time he gets back to the entrance hall, he sees Namjoon and his mother still in deep discussion, though the stop abruptly once they see him. He realizes they’re discussing him, and clearly he’s not allowed to . Namjoon smiles kindly and stands up to walk over to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your mother has agreed to move in, provided she gets to keep her current home. I told her that will be no problem. I’ve already spoken with the landlord. Your mother wants the deed put in yours or your brother’s name, it’s up to you—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” Yoongi hisses. “What do you mean you’ve spoken to the landlord? And the deed? Did you buy that house?” His eyes sting at the thought of Namjoon going behind his back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon pauses, realizing he’s made a mistake. “I’m sorry, hyung. I should have told you before. I just…wanted to surprise you. I thought you’d be happy,” he admits.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Happy? To know that you’ve been throwing your money around to save poor little Yoongi’s family like some goddamn hero?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon’s gaze hardens. “<em>No</em>. I thought you’d be happy to find out that your family will be taken care of, which is what you told me you wanted from the beginning.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>I </em>was going to help them,” Yoongi grits out, frustrated to all hell with Namjoon’s attitude. He doesn’t get to play the hero behind Yoongi’s back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What does it matter which one of us did it? The end result is the same. Your family won’t ever have to struggle again, hyung. Don’t tell me you forgot what I said earlier today? I’m taking care of you from now on, and that includes taking care of my in-laws.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi bites his lip. “You know I can never repay you, right? This apartment, the house…it’s too much.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Namjoon frowns. “Is that what this is about? Are you afraid I’ll try to collect on your debts later on?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi looks away. “You don’t need to repay anything, hyung. You’re helping me hold onto something extremely valuable. You might think it’s not a fair trade if I ‘throw money around’ for your family, but that’s because you don’t know how important the manor is yet. I promise, hyung, someday I’ll be the one repaying you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He pulls Yoongi closer by the hand before the older can reply, tracing a finger over a smooth cheek, smiling softly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your mother is watching,” he covertly whispers. He leans in closer, placing his hands on the other’s thin hips and pulling him tightly against his chest. The kiss Namjoon chooses to place on his temple burns through him entirely. His cheeks heat, but he takes comfort in the fact that Namjoon’s do too. The stay like that, for just a few moments, hearts in sync as their bodies familiarize themselves with each other.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They make it back to the house an hour later, and Yoongi’s mother begins directing the repairmen that Namjoon called in for the occasion. Yoongi frowns and the other man grins sheepishly. “Okay, so, the people I hired to look into you provided pictures of your home,” he admits.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jihoon is still nowhere in sight, having run out the minute Yoongi explained to his family who Namjoon was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I need to go look for my cousin,” he informs his new husband. Namjoon waves him off with an understanding smile and goes off to help his mother.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He finds Jihoon where he expected, playing ball at the dilapidated basketball court in the park some blocks away. This is where he and his brother taught the boy how to play, and where Yoongi used to bring him when things at home got hard.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “Mind if I join you?” he asks tentatively. Jihoon doesn’t even look at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Jihoon, please,” Yoongi begs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “What? You want one last game before you move away and forget all about this place?”<br/><br/></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I could never forget about this place, or you,” Yoongi says with conviction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jihoon stares down at the basketball between his hands before taking a deep breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What will I do without you, hyung?” He looks up, and Yoongi sees the unshed tears that line his eyes. This is exactly what he wanted to avoid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ll never be without me, I promise.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You say that, but you’re leaving us for a man who we don’t even know. How could you choose him over us?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I—I’m sorry,” he sniffs. “It’s not that I don’t care about you. I care about you most of all. I want you to grow up better than I ever could. And with Namjoon in the picture, you will. You’ll never have to worry about getting a job just to afford basic necessities, or stay in that house in the winter when the water is cold enough to give you frost bite.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Money and a new place to live won’t make up for you being gone, you know that, don’t you?” Jihoon’s voice is so small.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know, the beauty of the twenty-first century, is that we can stay in contact as much as we want. Seoul is only two hours away by train. I can be here whenever you need me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It won’t be the same,” Jihoon shrugs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “Jihoon, listen to me. Just because we aren't physically together doesn't mean we stop being family. You will always have me." He reaches into his pocket for the thing he's been carrying around, waiting for this moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jihoon stares as Yoongi hands him the temporary phone Namjoon bought him during their first meeting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You can call me at any time, kiddo. I promise, there’s nothing that can keep me away if you need me. I know that you're scared right now, because things are changing in ways you didn't expect. But I'll always be here for you. You'll need to be the man of the house now and help your parents and siblings. Can you do that for me?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The younger nods. “Can we play one last game, hyung?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi’s smile blossoms. “Of course we can, kid.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Two things:</p>
<p>1) Thank you to every single person who has commented on this fic so far! Your comments make me so happy!</p>
<p>2) This is the last of the chapters I've had mostly pre-written, so I can't promise the remaining updates will be so quick. I'll TRY to stick to a weekly updating schedule, but I can't promise anything :(</p>
<p> </p>
<p>THIRD: (Yes, I lied, I have three things) I'm not a writer. This fic is my first real attempt to storyboard an idea and craft it into a novel-length story. I'm using it as practice for the real stories I want to tell outside of fandom. I appreciate those of you who have provided commentary on the plot and characterization, because it really does help! And I'm sorry if this work isn't up to par with other writers' work or doesn't have a consistent tone. i'm still finding my voice and I'm not always happy with how these chapters end up, but I'm going to keep going, because I want to grow and learn from the work I'm creating.</p>
<p>Anyway, THANK YOU ALL!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Drunks, the Chainsaw, and the Mother-in-Law</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello friends! </p><p>I'm so sorry for taking so long on this chapter. Truthfully, I've started classes and these next few months will be busy because I'll be preparing to apply for grad school and my job, as well as family activities. I promise I won't stop updating, but there may be a longer wait time in between, sorry! :(</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as they get back to Seoul, Namjoon gives Yoongi his engagement ring and an apartment tour. Both are overwhelming.</p><p> </p><p>The engagement ring goes with the wedding band, just like Namjoon said. The younger gives him the rundown on the piece (“Platinum band, two-carats, princess cut solitaire with a row of encrusted diamonds in the band”), but all Yoongi really takes in is how heavy the ring feels on his finger. It’s not an unwelcome weight, just an unusual one. He’d blushed profusely when Namjoon placed the ring on his finger, mindful of his overgrown cuticles and bitten fingernails. His hand doesn’t look worthy of the ring. No part of him does.</p><p> </p><p>The tour is just as alarming as the ring. It turns out, Namjoon’s apartment is much bigger than Yoongi’s first visit led him to believe. There are four bedrooms, a kitchen with a large island in the center, a game room, an office space, two full bathrooms, and a fully decked out dining room complete with a stocked bar to one side. There’s even a balcony that lets out onto a beautiful view of the city and Han River.</p><p> </p><p>By the time Namjoon has shown him every nook and cranny of the place, including the wine refrigerator and walk-in linen closet, Yoongi feels exhausted. It must show on his face, because the other leads him to the living room couch without a word.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s probably a lot to take in, isn’t it?” Namjoon leads him back to the master bedroom with a hand on the small of his back. </p><p> </p><p>“Am I that obvious?” Yoongi snorts.</p><p> </p><p>“No. It’s just that the people in my social circles are taught to hide their discomfort from a young age. You’re refreshingly honest about your emotions, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi bites the inside of his cheek. “You don’t have to sugarcoat it, Namjoon. I’m a pauper who can’t pretend to be a prince.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s hand clasps his warmly, a small smile on the younger’s lips. “If I wanted to marry someone who was used to all of this, I could have. It would have been very easy.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi has nothing to say to that, so instead he asks where he’ll be sleeping.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, yes. I figured you would want your own space, rather than being stuck in my room with me. Plus,” Namjoon grins sheepishly, a hand rubbing the back of his neck, “I’ve been told I snore like a chainsaw.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi snorts at that, the image of Namjoon snoring so incongruent with the sophistication he exudes outside the walls of his home. Their home, now.</p><p> </p><p>“Won’t your family and friends think it’s weird that I’m not sleeping in your room?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay. I’ll just tell them that I wanted you to have your own space and that we share a bed at night. It’s not like they can check up on us.”</p><p> </p><p>He lets Namjoon lead him into one of the rooms he was shown earlier and notes, not without gratitude, that it’s the second nicest out of all the bedrooms. Only Namjoon’s is better, but that’s because of the sheer amount of space he has. Yoongi’s new room is just as nice, if a tad smaller, though it’s much bigger than any of the rooms in his old house.</p><p> </p><p>The room faces the river, which is perfectly visible through the floor to ceiling windows on two of the walls. The bed is large, as is the walk-in closet. The ensuite doesn't have a tub like Namjoon's, only a shower, for which he apologizes. He promises Yoongi that he can op over to his room to use the tub at any time, but the older waves him away. Hot water is more than enough for him.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon leaves him to settle his meager belongings and informs him that his cousins and Hoseok are asking to come over for dinner.</p><p> </p><p>“Is that okay with you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Interrupting our honeymoon?” Yoongi fake gasps. Namjoon smiles, dimple out in full force. Yoongi likes that look on him. He looks his age, for once.</p><p> </p><p>“My cousins think we’ve postponed the honeymoon and that we’re going on a trip instead.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are we going on a trip?”</p><p> </p><p>“Only if you’re good!” Namjoon smiles patronizingly.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi scowls at the younger. “Yah! I may be shorter than you, but I’m still older. I demand respect! People fear me!!”</p><p> </p><p>They bicker back and forth for a bit over Yoongi’s ability to hurt anything, even a fly. It’s a weight off his shoulders, really, to be able to joke lightly like this with a man he’s only met recently. And it must be for Namjoon as well, because he looks much less tense than he did when they first met.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi can do this. He can be a good husband. This was not a mistake, he tells himself. He allows himself to believe it.</p><p> </p><p>He decides to nap for a bit, reasoning with himself that he deserves it after all of the surprises the day (or rather Namjoon) has thrown his way. He wakes up to the younger gently shaking his arm, asking if he’d like to choose what they have for dinner. “Jin hyung offered to pick up.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi doesn’t care, so he simply says, “Surprise me.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dinner is not surprising, it’s the company that is, mostly because of the chaos they bring with them. Namjoon’s cousins and Hoseok all show up with drinks, shouting over each other that they didn’t expect the others to get them since they never do. It’s only because the kitchen island is so big that it isn’t completely filled to the brim with alcohol. Yoongi thinks there might even be more of it here than at the bar he worked at, but he doesn’t get to make his observation public, because the newly arrived men are still speaking over each other.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi suspects they’re all actors, not just Seokjin. There’s no way the put-together crowd of his courthouse wedding this morning is the same crowd currently fighting over which brand of soju is best. Even Namjoon is different, in a way. He’s much more relaxed now than he was at their wedding lunch.</p><p> </p><p>Seokjin, kind soul that he is, picked up an order of every single flavor of fried chicken the restaurant had on the menu. Yoongi doesn’t think he’s every seen so much food on a table, and his stomach almost hurts at the thought of how full it will soon be. He settles into Namjoon’s side on one of the couches, silently worrying that he might spill something on the fancy upholstery. Taehyung notices him biting his lip.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, hyung! We eat in the living room all the time. The dining room’s kind of stuffy. And I spill things on these couches and the rug all the time! Especially jjajangmyeon sauce, but Joonie hyung still loves me, isn’t that right?” he smiles.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon flips him off and uses the movement as an excuse to pull Yoongi further into his side. Namjoon’s drinking a beer already, not even reaching for the food, so Yoongi busies himself by pulling over some containers. He hadn’t realized earlier, but he’s starving. Too much excitement in one day.</p><p> </p><p>He breaks apart a pair of wooden chopsticks, balancing his plate on his knees, and offers Namjoon a bite of some garlic fried chicken. He tells himself it’s for the show of it all. They need to really sell this marriage to Namjoon’s family.</p><p> </p><p>The fact that Namjoon’s eyes never waver from his as he opens his mouth for Yoongi’s chopsticks is just a bonus. Flames lick at his belly as his cheeks turn red. The other man makes eating chicken look like a sexual experience. Taehyung sighs as he watches Yoongi feed his cousin, happily staring at the pair like a moviegoer watching Ryan Gosling kiss his love interest on screen. A true romantic. Seokjin ignores everyone in favor of stuffing his face, and that in itself is also charming. He's very different from his onscreen roles. </p><p> </p><p>Namjoon takes it upon himself to give Yoongi sips of his beer, and they move together in what feels like a slow mating dance, alternating food and drinks as a pair. At one point, Yoongi meets Hoseok’s curious gaze and looks away. Surely the other man knows he’s only doing this to be believable for the Kim cousins.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s hand begins a slow ascent up his side, rubbing circles into his skin over his shirt. It’s comforting to feel like he fits here, when no part of him realistically fits into this new world.</p><p> </p><p>He continues to alternate between feeding himself and feeding Namjoon, enjoying the sight of the younger’s happy chewing more than the delicious, sticky-glazed chicken. Taehyung and Seokjin coo at their domesticity, while Hoseok sinks into the couch further with every sip of his beer.</p><p> </p><p>“Hobi’s a bit of a lightweight,” Namjoon mused into his ear. Yoongi doesn’t bother to hide his shiver. The apartment’s air conditioning is set to 75°, he can and will use that as the excuse for his goosebumps.</p><p> </p><p>For a second his mind wanders and he imagines what Namjoon’s voice sounds like right after he wakes up, but he stops himself from following that train of thought. Yes, his husband is attractive. No, he shouldn’t think about it.</p><p> </p><p>Seokjin and Taehyung devour most of the food, though Namjoon makes a good case for his bottomless pit of a stomach. Yoongi suspects it’s his slow feeding that fills the younger up much more quickly than his cousins.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll get used to it,” Hoseok remarks. “Taking these three to a buffet is like unleashing a tornado in Manhattan. One time, a restaurant owner cried after Jin hyung left the table to serve himself some more.” Seokjin burps loudly at the dig.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi doesn’t fully grasp the geographical reference, as he’s only rarely seen New York City in films, but he’ll take Hoseok’s word for it. He drinks with the others, who alternate between beer and soju, getting progressively rowdier as the time passes. At one point, they start discussing their drink orders and Yoongi makes the mistake about mentioning his bartending job.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung! You should make us drinks!” Taehyung exclaims happily, looking like the last person in the world who needs another drink.</p><p> </p><p>He tries to ignore their pleas but Namjoon nudges him, winking when Yoongi meets his eyes. “I’d like to see your skills, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>And that’s it, isn’t it?</p><p> </p><p>That’s all it takes to compel him into making a strawberry margarita for Jin, a Brandy Alexander for Taehyung, and a French 75 for Namjoon. They ooh and aah at his mixing talents, and Yoongi internally does the same with Namjoon’s bar, which holds liquor from every part of the world and then some. Not to mention all the nifty drink-making tools. Yoongi thinks he even spots a hand-crafted muddler made of expensive-looking wood, but doesn’t bother to take a closer look. He has two years to acquaint himself with this bar, and he promises himself he will.</p><p> </p><p>The Kim cousins don’t seem to care one way or another how nice the bar is, just shouting out whatever drinks they can think of and delighting when Yoongi produces them like a bar wizard.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s smile doesn’t waver throughout the night, and by the time anyone notices Hoseok is gone, the three musketeers are well on their way to needing hangover cures stocked for the coming morning. Yoongi’s husband is the least drunk, but even he sways as they walk around the house to find the other man.</p><p> </p><p>They find Hoseok face down on Namjoon’s bed, soft snores leaving his open mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“Seriously?” Namjoon groans. He goes to pull his pillow out from under Hoseok’s drooling mouth, but Yoongi stops him.</p><p> </p><p>“Let him sleep, he looks like he needs it.”</p><p> </p><p>Taehyung and Seokjin decide to make like Hoseok and sleep over, which is all good and well, except they refuse to share a bed.</p><p> </p><p>“Tae su-suffocates me when we sleeeeep together.. ’s like a boa constri-ictor!” Seokjin hiccups sleepily.</p><p> </p><p>“Well...you kick...in your sleep, jerk!” Taehyung defends himself.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine,” Namjoon says. “One of you take the couch and the other can sleep in one of the rooms.”</p><p> </p><p>“But you have extra three rooms, hyung, remember?”</p><p> </p><p>Before Namjoon has to make up excuses as to why he and Yoongi won’t sleep in the same room, he cuts in.</p><p> </p><p>“Namjoon’s just a little drunk, he forgets how to count when he’s drinking. We’ll take this one,” Yoongi points to his newly appointed bedroom, “You two can take the others.”</p><p> </p><p>The nice thing about drunks is that they don’t question what they’re told.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re so…hospital, Yoongi hyung.” Taehyung presses a sloppy kiss to his cheek and Yoongi fights both a smile and a wince off his face.</p><p> </p><p>“He means ‘hopsitable’, Yoongichi.”</p><p> </p><p>“Stop calling my husband weird things and get to bed, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon ushers his cousins away from the mess they’ve left in the living room and Yoongi begins clearing the coffee table of glasses and leftover chicken. When the younger comes back out, he silently helps tidy up, and they wordlessly agree that neither of them is ready for bed yet.</p><p> </p><p>How they end up on opposite sides of the coffee table, passing a bottle of tequila back and forth between them, is anyone’s guess.</p><p> </p><p>They’ve started some fucked up version of 20 questions, where the person with the bottle asks a question before taking a swig and the other answers before they get the bottle. Not that there’s much left in the bottle to drink after seokjin’s four margaritas, so really it’s more the ritual they’re partaking in.</p><p> </p><p>So far, Yoongi has learned that Namjoon has never owned a pet and likes to go cycling and hiking. For his part, Yoongi has divulged his love of basketball and Christopher Nolan films. It’s a nice, stress-free way to pass the night.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung, can I ask you something a little more personal?” Namjoon scratches at his nose, visibly cautious.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi nods wordlessly, expecting something much worse than what actually tumbles out from the other’s lips.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you actually bisexual?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi is surprised, though he manages to mask it slightly with a raised eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>“Do I look straight?”</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, there’s no way to say someone looks straight—or gay for that matter—but I guess if I saw you on the street I would assume you were.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well you’d be wrong,” Yoongi states, peeling the label off the back of the bottle. “I’m one-hundred percent, certified gay.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why list yourself as bisexual then?” The younger sounds confused, and Yoongi almost wants to laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“Because I wasn’t going to discriminate between men and women. I wasn’t looking for love, I was looking for money.”</p><p> </p><p>“Makes sense. But what if they were looking for a different type of arrangement?”</p><p> </p><p>“Like what?”</p><p> </p><p>“...like sexual stuff,” Namjoon mumbles, looking like a bashful schoolboy.</p><p> </p><p>“I would’ve done it. You know how desperate I was.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then I’m glad it was me you ended up with,” Namjoon blurts out. “N-not because you were desperate or w-whatever. Just...”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi watches him trip over his words, trying to make sure Yoongi isn’t offended. It’s cute.</p><p> </p><p>“I know what you mean. So am I. I’m just glad someone wanted me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I find it very hard to believe there weren’t people fighting over you, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi sighs, “At first, there was. There was a chaebol who was very persistent.”</p><p> </p><p>The flash in Namjoon’s eyes makes Yoongi’s belly tingle, but he tells himself it couldn’t be jealousy in order to tamp down the excitement. Maybe the younger is just disgusted with chaebols. <em>Join the club, </em>Yoongi thinks, <em>chaebols are the worst.</em></p><p> </p><p>“Why didn’t you pick him?” Namjoon asks,  voice low, as if they’re speaking too loudly, though no one is around to hear them.</p><p> </p><p>“Not everyone is as kind to the poor kids as you are,” Yoongi sips at the bottle, though there’s hardly anything left. “But it’s my turn to ask a question, you took an extra one and thought I wouldn’t notice.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Namjoon doesn’t think Yoongi’s reply to his question fully answers it, but he knows better than to pry. Besides, they’re having fun right now. He doesn’t want to ruin it by insisting Yoongi tell him the name of the fucker who hurt him.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s your question?”</p><p> </p><p>“Why me?” Yoongi whispers.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon swallows audibly, hands twisting in the fabric of his sweatpants. He doesn’t know what to say, so he pretends he doesn’t hear the question.</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p> </p><p>“Why did you choose me?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles softly, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. How does he tell Yoongi that he’s the first person Namjoon’s every truly wanted to have? “I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. I’m not so sure I know the answer, to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>How can he put into words that he’s not sure what came over him in that one drunken moment of weakness when he contacted him? How does he state that one perfect photograph of a pale, beautiful boy with pouty lips and haunting eyes was enough to make Namjoon desire him over anyone else he could have encountered on that site? He can’t. He has to lie.</p><p> </p><p>“I-I don’t know. I mean, I read your message on the site and it seemed...genuine. Like you were doing it for the right reasons, out of necessity.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi hums, lip between his teeth again and Namjoon has the overwhelming urge to lean over and take that lip between his own teeth. He feels himself harden slightly at the thought of doing just that. Would Yoongi be pliant underneath him, or would the fire in his eyes assert itself? He'd really like to know.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon has never wanted to be dominated, but he thinks he’d let Yoongi do anything he wanted to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you gay, Namjoon?”</p><p> </p><p>The question catches him off guard, but Yoongi isn’t even looking at him. He’s staring out at the view that Namjoon’s floor-ceiling windows provide. It’s one of his favorite parts of living here.</p><p> </p><p>“Bisexual, though I lean heavily toward men.”</p><p> </p><p>“Does your family know?” Yoongi finally meets his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s three questions, hyung,” he tries to joke.</p><p> </p><p>“Namjoon,” Yoongi whispers.</p><p> </p><p>He rubs at his eyes in order to block out the older man’s fretful gaze. Namjoon knows he’s being selfish, but it’s not fair.</p><p> </p><p>He sighs, “No, they don’t hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>“So not only are you marrying against their will, you’re marrying a man when they’re homophobic.”</p><p> </p><p>“How do you know they’re homophobic?”</p><p> </p><p>“If they weren’t, you would have told them you like men,” Yoongi spits.</p><p> </p><p>“What does it matter now? They can’t do anything about it, we’re already married.”</p><p> </p><p>“They can make my life hell!” Yoongi cries out. "Or hurt the people I care about."</p><p> </p><p>“I won’t let them hurt you, hyung. I told you, I’ll take care of you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t get you. You treat me like a naive little kid in someone else’s world, but then you act like I have no reason to be scared at all.”</p><p> </p><p>“Gay marriage is legal now, it’s not like they can contest our marriage. And they wouldn’t dare harass you if they know what’s good for them,” Namjoon responds darkly.</p><p> </p><p>“The legality of our marriage won’t stop them. The law doesn’t stop bigotry.”</p><p> </p><p>“But it will stop my family. Look hyung, they’re going to find out about me soon enough, and that will be my battle to fight.”</p><p> </p><p>“You really think they won’t try to make me look bad. You’re their blood, I’m nothing to them, or to anyone else in Seoul.”</p><p> </p><p>He’s not wrong. If Namjoon’s family finds out where he found the other man, they’ll do anything to get rid of him. His family barely cares about each other, there’s no way they’d spare some poor kid from Daegu. Image is everything to the Kims, after all. He swallows bitterly at the thought.</p><p> </p><p>“...You’re right, hyung. I’m sorry. I should’ve fully explained what you’d be getting yourself into by agreeing. But I promise you I won’t let them hurt you.”</p><p> </p><p>“What if they try to embarrass you? It’s not like my past is a secret. If they take a walk in my neighborhood, anyone can tell them all about me. About where I came from.”</p><p> </p><p>“If I were afraid of that, I wouldn’t have been on that site. I could never be embarrassed by you,” he replies honestly. “you’ve worked harder in your life than most of the people in this city.”</p><p> </p><p>“You say that now, but I’m nothing, Namjoon,” Yoongi’s eyes are shining, and for the first time, Namjoon realizes the extent to which Yoongi now sees himself as inferior.</p><p> </p><p>He’s not, they both know that, but it can’t be easy going from the bottom to the top so quickly, going from nothing to everything in a matter of weeks. If Yoongi’s google search told him as much as Namjoon’s private investigator told him, then he knows that Namjoon isn’t the most private citizen. People, not many, but some, actually care about what he does in the public eye.</p><p> </p><p>“What do I tell people when they ask what I do for a living? What do I tell them when they ask where I went to school?”</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn’t matter what you tell them, they’ll make their own assumptions about you before you even open your mouth.”</p><p> </p><p>“So I can’t win, can I?” Yoongi bites at his thumbnail. He sympathizes.</p><p> </p><p>“You shouldn’t even try. In my life, I’ve learned that the less I say to people, the better off I am.”</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds lonely,” Yoongi muses, subtly wiping his eyes. Namjoon pretends not to notice. He’ll let the other man put on a strong front if that’s what he needs.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s the only life I have, so I have to live it.”</p><p> </p><p>He clumsily stands up and extends a hand to Yoongi. Heart-to-hearts and alcohol make him sleepy. “I promise we’ll figure it out together, but maybe it can wait for another day. I’m getting kind of tired.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi nods, yawning the second Namjoon says ‘tired.’ He doesn’t let Yoongi’s hands go once the other stands up. Instead, he interlaces their fingers, pulling him by the hand toward their designated bedroom. He thinks being tipsy might serve as enough of an excuse if the other man asks.</p><p> </p><p>He asks Yoongi if he’d like to shower here while he goes to his own, to which the older man assents. He makes his way to his own bedroom, not caring if Hoseok wakes up as he gets ready for bed. <em>I hope he does, </em>he thinks bitterly.<em> He deserves it.</em></p><p> </p><p>By the time he makes it back to Yoongi’s bedroom, the older man is toweling off his inky black hair.</p><p> </p><p>He’s the most beautiful person, if the way Namjoon’s treacherous heart threatens to beat out of his chest is any indication. His threadbare t-shirt is so old it hangs off him, exposing sharp collarbones and pale arms. His sleep shorts are old but soft-looking, and Namjoon makes a mental note to take him shopping under the guise of needing things himself. Yoongi doesn’t seem like the type who likes being fussed over, but Namjoon longs to fuss over him.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi is the first to break the silence. “Is Hoseok okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Still dead asleep. And drooling all over my favorite pillow,” he grumbles.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi’s answering chuckle is beauty in the form of sound, husky and amused. Namjoon wants to know what other sounds he makes.</p><p> </p><p>He pushes the thought away as Yoongi moves toward the bed. “Any preference?”</p><p> </p><p><em>You riding me, </em>he thinks,<em> but I don’t mind missionary either.</em></p><p> </p><p>He says, “I don’t mind either side.” His dick twitches.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi crawls under the duvet and Namjoon clears his throat. “I, uh...I usually don’t wear a shirt to bed.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi waves him off, yawning again. “That’s fine, I don’t care.”</p><p> </p><p>He’d be lying if he said that didn’t sting a little bit.</p><p> </p><p>He crawls in next to the older man, happy that the bed is big enough that they don’t need to awkwardly apologize for accidental grazes. Yoongi’s soft <em>good night,</em> Namjoon and deep breathing soon after are all he needs to fall headfirst into sleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Yoongi appreciates Namjoon’s desire to be forthcoming and his brutal honesty, but he also kind of hates it.</p><p> </p><p>At the very least, he wishes the younger had been lying about sounding like a chainsaw when he sleeps. But he wasn’t.</p><p> </p><p>It was fine when Yoongi fell asleep first, but his stupid bladder woke him up and now he’s back in his new bed, awake at five in the morning. Laying awake next to the human equivalent of a semi-truck’s engine. He thinks about going to sleep in the living room, but Namjoon’s cousins might think something happened.</p><p> </p><p>Then again, they might be too hungover to even think about it.</p><p> </p><p>Just as he’s resolved to make his way out of the bedroom, the door opens.</p><p> </p><p>“Joonie,” Hoseok whispers into the dark. Yoongi’s eyes are adjusted to the dark since he woke up to pee earlier, so he sees that the other man is wide awake and flanked by the cousins. “Psst, Joooooooonieeeeeee.”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s asleep,” Yoongi whispers, carefully getting out of bed. Namjoon doesn’t even move, just continues on like a particularly awful lawn mower.</p><p> </p><p>He follows them out to the kitchen, where Hoseok explains that he’s gotten called to go into the office in a few hours and will drop off dumb and dumber at their respective homes. Seokjin and Taehyung look like they’re about to argue, but one look from Namjoon’s best friend has them shutting up.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi wishes he could feel bad that Hoseok has to work on a Saturday morning, but now there are three empty beds that don’t contain a sleeping bear. He briefly considers not sleeping in Namjoon’s room, but decides that it’s really only fair that they sleep in each other’s spaces.</p><p> </p><p>He pushes the drool-covered pillow off the bed and grabs another, settling into the luxuriously fresh sheets. Hoseok had fallen asleep over the bedding, so the scent Yoongi inhales as he pulls the covers over his head is deliciously all Namjoon. Sleep comes easily.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The problem with drinking, Namjoon thinks, is that he’s never been one of those people who can magically avoid hangovers. And that makes him a grump the day after a bender. Not that he’d classify last night as a bender, but Yoongi sure knows how to make drinks that don’t taste like they hold much alcohol. (They do, though, they really do.)</p><p> </p><p>To say he feels like shit when he wakes is an understatement, more so when he hears the dulcet tones of his mother’s shrill voice. At first he feels like he’s still dreaming, because his mother doesn’t have a key to his home, but the pounding of his temples is all to real.</p><p> </p><p>“Who are you?!”</p><p> </p><p>He shoots out of bed, remembering that it’s not just his house anymore. Yoongi is here now, and probably freaking out in front of the aggressive middle-aged woman in his new home. He must look crazy, running out of the room in sleep shorts with his hair askew.</p><p> </p><p>His <em>oh so dear</em> mother is standing over a disheveled Yoongi on the couch, and Namjoon could positively scream at the way she’s looking at Yoongi, like he’s less than nothing and an overwhelming nuisance at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>“Mom! How did you get in here?” he asks, heart racing from the sprint.</p><p> </p><p>“I-I’m sorry, I heard someone knocking a-and I just opened it,” Yoongi stammers out, looking relieved that Namjoon is here now.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon sighs, “What did you do this time, mom? The staff knows not to let you in.” He runs a hand down his face, moving to stand next to Yoongi on the couch. He needs to meet his mother eye-to-eye, literally, in order to make her back down.</p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me?! I am your mother, Kim Namjoon. And I own this building! You will not shut me out like this.” She doesn’t stomp her delicate designer heels into the carpet, for she’s far too refined, but he knows she wants to. “I’ve been calling you every day!”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles indulgently. “And I’ve been letting them go unanswered. I’ve never known you to be a person who can’t take a hint, mother.”</p><p> </p><p>His mother’s affronted face turns sinister for a second before toning down into a simmering-beneath-the-surface rage. But Namjoon isn’t scared of her anymore. She’s only acting like this because she wants to make it seem like she holds all the cards. She doesn’t. Not anymore.</p><p> </p><p>“You watch your tone with me. You think you can treat your own mother this way and come out unscathed?”</p><p> </p><p>He turns to Yoongi on the couch, looking meek in his sleepwear with his eyes trained away from the conflict in front of him. He’s biting his lip again, and Namjoon wishes this morning could’ve started differently. Preferably, in bed with no clothes, but he knows that’s asking too much of his fake spouse.</p><p> </p><p>“I think, mother, that you barged in here without my permission, scared my husband to death, and are trying to meddle in my life once again.”</p><p> </p><p>“Husband?” A gasp.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not his mother. It’s Minah, she’s here too. And looking like a kicked puppy. Shit.</p><p> </p><p>“Oppa, you’re married?”</p><p> </p><p>“Minnie, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you.”</p><p> </p><p>“How dare you,” his mother spits. She’s not looking at him, though.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t say anything to him,” Namjoon grits out. “If you want to be angry at anyone, it’s me whom you’ll speak to. He’s done nothing wrong.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re really that selfish, Namjoon? To marry <em>a man</em> just to spite your family? It wasn’t enough that you want the manor all to yourself, you use a man to make your point.” She tuts. “What lies did you tell him? That you love him? Does he even know about the manor?”</p><p> </p><p>He tries not to take the bait, but in the end, Namjoon is still just a kid standing in front of his mother, trying to justify his choices. Not that she’ll listen. He’s really just screaming into the void.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry you can’t accept the fact that I’m bisexual, mother, and that I’m in love with a man,” he pulls Yoongi to his feet, “but I’m in love with my husband, whether you can accept that or not.” His arm wraps securely around Yoongi’s waist and it’s only now that he realizes the other is shaking.</p><p> </p><p>His mother sneers. “Your silly little phase has gone on long enough. You’d better protect yourself, Kim Namjoon, because if I find out that this so-called marriage is legal and you’ve really married this man—”</p><p> </p><p>“It is,” he interrupts. “I asked him to marry me and we went to the courthouse yesterday. It’s done.”</p><p> </p><p>His mother trips on her words, tongue-tied. She reclaims her grace quickly enough, though.</p><p> </p><p>“What did I ever do to deserve such a selfish son?”</p><p> </p><p>“If I’m selfish, it’s only because you taught me to be. Tell me, mother, do you regret pushing your only son away for a property that will never be yours?”</p><p> </p><p>He knows he’s doing too much, but he won’t stop. He already lost his parents long ago, they just don’t seem to realize it yet.</p><p> </p><p>His mother doesn't respond to the taunt at first, just straightens the brooch on her navy blazer and gazes at him sharply. “This is not over, Namjoon.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure,” he replies coolly, “Whatever you say, mom.”</p><p> </p><p>“Come, Minah,” is all she says.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon turns to his sister, but she pulls away, eyes red. It hurts him to see that he's hurt her.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m really sorry, Minnie. I couldn’t tell you.”</p><p> </p><p>The door slams behind his mother and sister. Yoongi let’s out a shuddering breath and turns to Namjoon. “What happened to not having to worry?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon’s jaw clenches. “What happened to not opening the door to strangers?”</p><p> </p><p>The older man scoffs, “So I can’t even open the door without asking your permission? What a great start to this marriage.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon rubs at his temples as Yoongi storms off to the kitchen. This is not how he expected his first day as a married man to go.</p><p> </p><p>He finds Yoongi hunched over the island, grasping the counter with a white-knuckled grip. No matter how hungover he is, he can’t let the other feel like this.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung, I’m sorry.” He places a hand on Yoongi’s shoulder and feels his shoulders shake.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung,” he worries, the other’s quiet sobs wracking his body. “Don’t cry, please. I promise, you’re safe.”</p><p> </p><p>He leads them to his bedroom, promising Yoongi some tea to calm his nerves as he leads him under the covers. “I’d rather have some whiskey, to be honest,” Yoongi chuckles humorlessly. Namjoon chooses to honor his request.</p><p> </p><p>At some point, once Yoongi’s finished sniffling and they’ve had a bit of whiskey while laying side by side in Namjoon’s bed, Yoongi opens up about a matter that seems to be weighing on him.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I ask you something?” he asks, a slight lisp gracing his words; it makes Namjoon’s heartbeat irregularly for a bit.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you ever get followed?”</p><p> </p><p>“Followed?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, like by paparazzi? Your family seems pretty well known.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon scratches at his neck. “I mean…yes and no. I suppose we are more well-known than many families. Mostly we’re photographed at public events and asked for soundbites by society papers when something big happens. It’s nothing overwhelming.”</p><p> </p><p>“No offense, but that sounds like my definition of overwhelming.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can make sure they leave you alone, hyung. Anything you need. I don’t want you to stop living your life in fear of the outside world,” he states earnestly. Yoongi deserves only good things, in his biased opinion.</p><p> </p><p>They sit in companionable silence for a while, legs tucked under the covers as they day drink.</p><p> </p><p>“You really couldn’t have chosen someone worse for this, could you?” Yoongi blurts out suddenly, giggling. He's no longer horrified, it seems. “Your mother hated me the minute she saw me.”</p><p> </p><p>The thought sobers him up. His mother is...<em>something. </em></p><p> </p><p>“I want to ask you something, hyung. Can I?”</p><p> </p><p>“This is turning into another round of 20 questions. Aren’t you already hungover?”</p><p> </p><p>“The whiskey helped.”</p><p> </p><p>“Spoken like a true alcoholic, staving off the pain with another round."</p><p> </p><p>“I’m being serious.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, you can,” Yoongi answers without hesitation.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you know who I was before I contacted you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles softly, though it doesn’t reach his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Other people did.”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of all the people I contacted on that site, you were the only one who didn’t seem to care who I was. You spoke so directly and honestly. The few people who responded to my messages asked if I was <em>that </em>Kim Namjoon. Whether I was a Boseong Kim or a Daejeon Kim. They had ulterior motives. Yesterday, you asked me why I chose you...” he breaks off.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi’s brows furrow, lips forming that cute pout that Namjoon loves to see.</p><p> </p><p>“You didn’t care who I was. I liked that a lot. I know you won’t believe me, but the last thing I want is someone with “good standing” in society, whatever the fuck that means.”</p><p> </p><p>He pauses, trying to find the words. “Everyone in this little bubble I live in is preoccupied with status. With looking good in the eyes of others...and I am too. So are my cousins and so is Hoseok. We pretend we’re not, that we’re above caring, but it’s how we were raised. We were taught to care about wealth and how we’re perceived. I’m sick of it. I don’t need someone with a title or with millions in the bank on my arm.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi scoffs at that. “You say that, but the minute the rest of your family and friends meet me—“</p><p> </p><p>“The minute they meet you they’ll realize you’re nothing like them. They’ll know you’re not part of their world.”</p><p> </p><p>“Exactly! Aren’t you worried?” Yoongi bites his lip, eyes still tinged red.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t care. If they don’t accept you, they don’t matter.  You don’t need to be like them, that’s why I chose you. I’m tired of letting these shallow, unfeeling people into my life. You’re real, hyung. You say what you mean and you don’t care about status. You said you just wanted to help your family and I trust that you mean that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is it really that simple? You’re willing to go through all of this for me? What if you lose things because of me? Your family?”</p><p> </p><p>“I already lost my grandfather, hyung. He was one of the few people I could trust in this world.”</p><p> </p><p>He turns to the older man, really looking at him and risking Yoongi’s discomfort for a moment of selfishness. He just wants to feel. He reaches up and places his hand on the other’s cheek, smiling softly when Yoongi leans into the touch.</p><p> </p><p>“All I need is you,” he says, thumb stroking over Yoongi’s cheek.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They stay there, bodies still as their hearts race, suspended in the amber of the moment. Like a preciously flowering <em>something, </em>they bloom in the other’s care.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another note, friends!</p><p>I just want to say THANK YOU SO SO SOSOSOSOSOSO MUCH! </p><p>Your comments and kudos mean the world. I won't say that they're my only motivation for writing, but they are a big part and do brighten my days. I'm also extremely thankful that your comments are kind and specific about what you like and what you want to see and your excitement for future events. I haven't received any "UPDATE PLS" comments, which I REALLY appreciate, because I'm an anxious person by nature and I hate to disappoint. I try to comment back whenever I can, but sometimes the soonest is on my update days. Rest assured, I do see them and I do appreciate you all.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. A Tour of the Estate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter was originally supposed to be much longer but I've been so busy with life and I really don't want to make you all wait any longer for an update. Hopefully this isn't too bad? Keep an eye on the tags, our cast of characters will grow quite a bit! ;D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>Yoongi spends his first week in Seoul acclimating. The day after the first, tense meeting with Namjoon’s mother, they go sightseeing. Namjoon explains the public transit system’s ins and outs—it’s similar enough to Daegu, except much more vast—and teaches him where to go should he ever need to take out money, buy medicine, or find sustenance. Not that Yoongi sees himself buying any of these things for himself.</p><p> </p><p>To his utter astonishment, Namjoon’s housekeeping staff of three takes care of everything when they come during the week. They organize, they clean, they do the weekly shopping. They launder everything from clothes to couches, restock household essentials and even serve as errand runners. They’re efficient, as well. Any question Yoongi has when they first meet, they know the answer. It would be a little more unsettling if Namjoon didn’t make it clear that they’re only that hands-on because he’s never home.</p><p> </p><p>“Now that you’ll be here full-time, you can feel free to give your input on how things are done. If there are certain cleaning products you prefer them not to use, if there are certain menu items you’d rather not have for dinner, that sort of thing.”</p><p> </p><p>It’s overwhelming, truthfully, to feel as if you live in a hotel, never really seeing a spot of grime or having to do things for yourself. Yoongi hasn’t made himself dinner at all, as Namjoon has a trained chef who comes over every day to cook dinner and prepare Yoongi’s meals for the next day. Any time he wakes up and heads for the bathroom, the bed is made when he gets back.</p><p> </p><p>It’s different enough from Daegu that he ridiculously feels homesick for the little place his family used to call home and his old, lumpy mattress.</p><p> </p><p>These days, the only thing he smells are the delicate scents of the wall plug-in deodorizers and the Korean food that the chef prepares. Though he suggests a few of his favorite dishes and is met with enthusiasm by the man, they never quite taste as good as his mother’s. He misses her homemade banchan and the distinct smells that permeated their living space.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon, being the ever kind soul he is, takes some afternoons off during that first week and they make their way through a list of Seoul’s most iconic tourist sites together. They walk, ride the subway, and take buses, surprisingly.</p><p> </p><p>“I know how to use public transportation!” the younger claims indignantly.</p><p> </p><p>He admits that he’d rather Yoongi use his driver for the most part, but traffic in the city is bad and public transportation is safe and immensely more efficient sometimes.</p><p> </p><p>“Or I could get you a car, though truthfully I’d advocate against here driving if you don’t do it regularly. People can get quite crazy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good, because I don’t have a license,” Yoongi replies.</p><p> </p><p>It’s actually quite fun, even though Yoongi is more of a homebody than an adventurer. They traverse through the city, taking a short walk along the Seoul City wall, which Yoongi only midly complains about. They buy chapssal donuts on their way to Myeongdong, where they buy Yoongi’s favorite street snacks, egg bread and sotteok sotteok. It’s awfully touristy but Yoongi figures he has to go at least once, if only so that he can say he’s seen it once and doesn’t care to go again. One evening they head to Namjoon’s favorite spot alongside Banpo bridge and rent bikes, warming up as they ride and then immediately feeling chilled after they stop. Their walk along the lower deck of the bridge is peaceful, if a little uncomfortable due to the cold.</p><p> </p><p>“I love riding bikes and taking walks, but it’s very rare I get to do it.” Namjoon pulls Yoongi closer as a cyclist crossing the bridge zooms past in a hurry. Yoongi feels himself blush as their fingers intertwine. He tells himself holding hands is just for warmth. They both forgot to wear gloves.</p><p> </p><p>“Why? Is your job very time-consuming?” he asks.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s part of it. The other part is…it just feels kind of lonely to come here by myself, to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>He doesn’t try to reply, not knowing what to say to that. Over the past couple of days, he’s seen just how lonely Namjoon’s life actually is.  By the time he gets home from work around 7pm, the staff and chef are long gone. If it weren’t for Yoongi, he’d eat dinner alone. Sure, he has his cousins and Hoseok, but they’re also busy. Yoongi suspects the only people Namjoon has daily contact with aside from his co-workers are the concierge staff of the building, whom he greets every time he enters or leaves the building, and Sejin.</p><p> </p><p>“But I shouldn’t complain. I have you now, after all.” Neither of them mentions the expiration date on their union.</p><p> </p><p>He leads Yoongi to the subway station and they wait patiently to get back home. It’s crowded, which makes Yoongi feel quite hot in his coat, but they get off quickly and walk the short way to where Sejin is scheduled to pick them up. The building Namjoon lives in is part of a gated community, so their only ways in are with a pre-registered vehicle or a long walk through a series of security gates.</p><p> </p><p>They stop for jjajangmyeon and fried sweet and sour pork on the way home, despite knowing dinner is probably waiting on the stove.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s live a little, hyung,” is Namjoon’s excuse as he waggles his eyebrows suggestively. He nods his assent, feeling like he can’t really say no. Namjoon takes care of everything always, this can’t be any different.</p><p> </p><p>On a different day, they make their way to a couple of the royal palaces, smiling at the excited whispers of foreigners and taking pictures of each other in the gardens to send to the Kim cousins and Jihoon. Yoongi is still getting used to his phone, and often has to ask Namjoon for help with the proper settings for the camera. The other doesn’t complain, simply smiles and helps him.</p><p> </p><p>They see the city at night from the N Seoul Tower, which gives Yoongi some not-so-minor anxiety because of the large amount of people. Namjoon suggests they take pictures in one of the photobooths, which Yoongi agrees to mostly so he can get away from the crowds, but also so he can send some photos to his mother. He smiles as big as he can in what he hopes is a reassuring way, and it becomes a little less hard to fake when Namjoon places an arm around his waist and pulls him closer. Heart fluttering, he smiles naturally at the camera, aware of Namjoon’s eyes on him.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh! Someone left their photos in here,” Yoongi frowns, pulling out their photo strip as well as someone else’s when they’re done.</p><p> </p><p>They’re a cute couple, two women doing aegyo at the camera in the first few shots before ending with a kiss.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe we can take it and find the people in the photo?” Namjoon suggests.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess?” Yoongi doubts very much that they’ll find this couple amid the thousands of people still here, despite the fact that it’s freezing cold outside. If anything, the trams coming up are far fuller than the ones departing.</p><p> </p><p>He lets the other lead him toward what look like Christmas trees but are really just large collections of love padlocks left by visitors. He wonders what Namjoon plans to do until he sees the younger pull a purple lock from his pocket.</p><p> </p><p>“When did you—”</p><p> </p><p>“When you went to the restroom earlier. I wasn’t going to, but I sent a picture of the view to my cousins and Jin hyung insisted we needed to do this.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi sighs, but takes the marker Namjoon pulls out of his pocket and writes, “Here’s to a long, happy marriage, KNJ+MYG” in tiny, cramped scribbles before passing both back to the younger. He waits for the other to take a nice photo of the message and then dutifully poses as he locks the padlock around one of others.</p><p> </p><p>“Perfect!”</p><p> </p><p>They head out soon after that, Namjoon’s phone pinging repeatedly with messages in the group chat. Yoongi giggles at the thought of his cousins and Hoseok teasing him. As they wait in line to get back on the tram, Namjoon grips his wrist.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung, it’s them!” he shouts excitedly. Yoongi startles, scowling at the younger’s volume.</p><p> </p><p>“Who?”</p><p> </p><p>“The couple whose photobooth pictures you found!”</p><p> </p><p>So it is. They return the photo strips to the couple, who are very thankful and very much in love, if their body language is anything to go by. Yoongi imagines himself looking that content with Namjoon someday, then promptly erases the thought.</p><p> </p><p>They’ve been good so far, sleeping in separate rooms but co-existing in their space just fine. Apart from the snoring, which Yoongi still compares to a loud leafblower or a rumbly car engine, they don’t get on each other’s nerves. They share meals and watch tv shows together. Yoongi borrows Namjoon’s books and Namjoon asks for his input on various household matters. It’s almost real. Almost.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, near midnight, they get back home and separate in the living room, Yoongi headed toward one wing of the apartment while Namjoon goes to the other. He feels the younger squeeze his hand tightly before letting go and reciprocates…but it doesn’t mean anything. It couldn’t possibly.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes, Yoongi deludes himself for a moment into thinking that Namjoon feels the same budding feelings that he does. Other times, he knows better. In the end, this affection is something they’re supposed to give each other to be believable. He tells himself not to pay any mind to the photo strip in his coat pocket, where Namjoon’s gaze was caught resting on Yoongi’s crooked smile for posterity.</p><p> </p><p>Friday, one week to the day they got married, he’s meant to finally go shopping with Namjoon. He tries to put it off, telling the other his clothes are perfectly fine and he doesn’t need anything, but they both know he’s lying. The days are getting progressively colder and they’ll have to break out the extra blankets soon. Namjoon’s got floor heating, which Yoongi could practically cry over, but he won’t be protected from the cold when he steps foot outside.</p><p> </p><p>They end up at another one of those high-end shopping malls like the one Namjoon took him to on his first trip to Seoul. It’s not as nerve-wracking as it was the first time. Technically, he belongs here now. He has the ring on his finger to prove it. Namjoon makes it clear Yoongi can have his pick of the lot, leading him into all kinds of stores.</p><p> </p><p>It’s a little intimidating at first, to see so much luxury up close, but Namjoon walks confidently with his hand on the small of Yoongi’s back the entire time. He figures he needs to play the part of a rich trophy husband if he wants to help the younger out and squares his shoulders, projecting an easy smile.</p><p> </p><p>They stop to buy a few winter jackets first, Yoongi almost losing himself in the plush softness of the material. He lets Namjoon adjust the collars of everything he tries on, enjoying the way the other man offers honest critique of what looks best. He does the same in turn, advocating for a dark blue parka that the younger is indecisive about, swaying him enough to convince him in the end. He follows Namjoon to the counter and looks away as the total is displayed and Namjoon pulls out his card, only turning back to the younger when he takes his hand and leads him out.</p><p> </p><p>If either of them notices people staring at their intertwined hands as they walk with their bags to a shoe store on the top floor, they don’t mention it. Namjoon must know some of them though, since he nods at a couple of women as they go on their way.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi ends up with various pairs of shoes, from dress shoes in every color and material to a new pair of Jordans and some Converse high tops that Namjoon smiles at appreciatively. He doesn't bother to tell the younger that he loathes shoes that are difficult to put on or pull off. He grimaces at the weight in his hands as the bags are handed to them, already tired from everything they’ve bought. Maybe he can convince Namjoon to stop for today. It’s not like he absolutely needs new shirts and pants at the moment. He hasn’t left their home much. Before he can say anything, though, Namjoon’s cellphone rings.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s Taehyung,” Namjoon says, accepting the call.</p><p> </p><p>“NAMJOON HYUNG!” Taehyung screams. It’s loud enough that Yoongi cringes away from Namjoon’s side at the volume.</p><p> </p><p>Feeling like this might be an emergency, he steers the younger toward an unoccupied bench. It’s a good time to rest. They’ve got so many shopping bags that he thinks it might just be better to consolidate their purchases and donate the extra bags to the recycling bin.</p><p> </p><p>As he busies himself with the ridiculous amount of new items he owns, he hears Namjoon let out a string of expletives. The younger steps away from the bench, and Yoongi decides it’s probably for the best if he takes a minute to call his cousin. His mom has a cellphone now as well, courtesy of Yoongi who purchased it online and had it delivered to their new address, but is still too busy with the move to their new apartment to learn how to use it. Jihoon, on the other hand, has been in constant contact, updating Yoongi about all the goings on back in Daegu and asking after him all the time.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung!” Jihoon calls, voice tinny from Yoongi’s lack of good reception in this mall.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, kid. How are you? How’s the family?”</p><p> </p><p>It’s nice, hearing his cousin’s voice. The younger enthusiastically shares that he’s close to becoming captain of the school volleyball team (despite being its shortest member), and that they received a call from the specialist Namjoon had (much to Yoongi’s chagrin, since it felt like another thing to repay) contacted regarding his uncle’s illness.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s scheduled for a home visit next weekend.” Yoongi exhales. Good news all around it seems.</p><p> </p><p>“How’s my mom?” he asks, biting his already chapped bottom lip.</p><p> </p><p>Jihoon sighs. “She’s still a bit upset, honestly. Any time we talk about how great the new apartment is, she complains that she misses her home and her son.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll go visit her soon, let me just figure it out.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’d better, don’t be a stranger hyung. We all miss you.”</p><p> </p><p>He ends the call with his heart feeling about as heavy as the shopping bags. Namjoon chooses that moment to end his call, turning to Yoongi with his jaw clenched and Yoongi gulps.</p><p> </p><p>“We have a problem.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The drive down from Seoul is long, and it’s made even longer by Namjoon’s observable nervousness while driving. Every few seconds, his eyes stray to the GPS display on the touch screen, as if he’s sure he’s managed to get the directions wrong. It doesn’t inspire confidence in Yoongi, honestly.</p><p> </p><p>“I thought you said you had a license and know how to drive,” he groans when the younger is—yet again—passed by a faster car on the highway. He’s driving slower than molasses drips and it’s annoying Yoongi to no end. One of those walkers from that American zombie show he started watching could get to Boseong faster than them.</p><p> </p><p>“I do!”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi changes the topic, if only because Namjoon is clearly lying and not willing to admit the truth.</p><p> </p><p>“So what exactly did Taehyung tell them again?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon grimaces, changing lanes slower than paint dries.</p><p> </p><p>“Apparently, he opened his big mouth and told Heeyeon noona and Myungsoo that I just got married. He didn’t tell me what they said, but they weren’t pleased with the news. They were hoping we'd have the reception at the manor, according to my cousin.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is their opinion very important to you?” Yoongi asks. Of all the people in Namjoon’s life, it seems this woman and this man are some of the few that he doesn’t want to disappoint, judging by his face when he first shared the news during their shopping trip.</p><p> </p><p>“Myungsoo and Heeyeon noona practically raised me. Every summer when I would come to Boseong to stay with my grandparents, they were the ones who made sure I never lacked for anything. My grandparents made time for me, of course, but the bulk of my time was spent with the staff.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi thinks over that answer, debating whether to ask what’s so special about Boseong that he had to come every summer, but thinks better of it. The less he knows, the easier it will be to extricate himself once the time comes. Namjoon changes the topic anyway.</p><p> </p><p>“We should be getting our marriage license in the mail soon,” he says brightly. “Once it comes, I’ll send a copy to the site and have our profiles deleted.” He sounds relieved, Yoongi’s stomach churns.</p><p> </p><p>“I though they said it would take six to eight weeks to get it?” He picks at his cuticles idly.</p><p> </p><p>“I called in a favor to a friend at City Hall.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is it that urgent?” Yoongi can’t help but ask, feeling a bit miffed that Namjoon’s so embarrassed he wants the evidence of what he’s done destroyed as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p>He ignores the sideways glances the younger sends his way. “Trust me, hyung. It’s better for both of us to be off that site immediately. I wouldn’t want to give anyone any ammo to use against you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Against me?” Yoongi blinks. “What could they possibly do to me with my information on that site?”</p><p> </p><p>“They’d try to ruin your name. If anyone found out I found you on that site, they’d say all kinds of disgusting things,” Namjoon frowns.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, sure, but gossip wouldn’t affect me, really.  You said you'd protect me. You’re the one who stands to lose face if people find out you paid me to marry you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Like I told you, hyung, I don’t need any of them. I’m already the black sheep, I don’t care what they throw at me. It's not like I don't have job security.  I just don’t want you to get caught up in a scandal.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi’s stomach eases and his heart flutters once again. Of course Namjoon is thinking of his well-being yet again. Every time Yoongi thinks he might finally uncover the side of Namjoon that’s just like every other rich, soulless person in Seoul, he meets a wall of kindness instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.” He places his hand into Namjoon’s open palm on resting on the center console, squeezing the other’s fingers when they interlace with his own.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, after two pit stops, lunch, and one bout of carsickness (Namjoon’s) due to the twists and turns they faced on dirt roads after they exited the highway, they make it to an unmarked road that leads straight into some mountains.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh, are you sure this is the right way?”</p><p> </p><p>“Trust me, I know this path like the back of my hand,” Namjoon assures.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi facepalms. “If that were true, you wouldn’t be hanging off Siri’s every word to get you there. At this point I think you’ve developed an unhealthy dependency on the thing.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t drive often! I’d rather be safe than sorry. But I know the way from here, promise.”</p><p> </p><p>The road is unpaved but nearly pristine with no bumps at all, like it’s regularly maintained. As they get nearer to the mountains Yoongi realizes that they’ll be going through an opening in the them, not around like he originally thought. According to Namjoon, this is the less traveled path to the manor and will lead them to the back entrance. The other way would have them drive past the entrance to the green tea fields and tourism center, which is far busier.</p><p> </p><p>It’s a scenic route, despite the sun’s slow descent past the mountains. More than once, Yoongi spots animals in the trees and fields, grazing. The path is still winding, but less harshly so, and he actually enjoys the ride.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, they come to a stop outside a huge privacy gate with wrought iron designs made to look like flowers. The walls surrounding the gate are covered lushly in ivy, like they’ve been here for centuries and nature was allowed to simply run its course. The whole thing reeks of excessive wealth, despite looking quite clean and classy.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon drives up to the intercom outside the gate and Yoongi gets a good look at the security cameras that are undoubtedly capturing his fatigued visage. The gates open automatically with a loud click after a few words from the younger and they drive through into another world.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi doesn’t think he can be blamed for feeling overwhelmed the minute they pass the gates. The only words he can think of to describe the place are <em>sprawling </em>and <em>pristine</em>. Everything from the lamp posts that line the path to the manicured gardens on either side of them are just…superior. Like the Kim family demanded only the best and received it.</p><p> </p><p>The road leading up to the main house is divided by a center garden with fountains, what looks like a large koi pond, and various resting spots. The entire place is green and vibrant, and Yoongi is reminded of a national wildlife reserve. Except for the part where everything is meticulously pristine, in the way that only things that are cared for with time and plenty of money can be.</p><p>
  
</p><p>He notices that the lush gardens outside the passenger window eventually give way to well-kept fields. The path they’re on breaks off in several directions, leading to other buildings in the compound. It’s clear that they refer to this place as a “manor” only out of modesty. It’s a mansion inside its own zipcode. It takes them five full minutes just to drive up to the circular driveway located at the back of the manor. There’s even a running fountain with a winged cherub at the top. It’s too much, and Namjoon must know it because he meets Yoongi’s gaping gaze with red cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re here,” he announces sheepishly.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi is still marveling at the stables he saw off to the right of the property, and doesn’t quite process the two-story building in front of him. It’s distinguished, unfolding to the sides like a phoenix spreading its wings. Yoongi begins to count the number of windows he sees but promptly decides it a useless task—there’s far too many. Manicured hedges and trimmed ivy line the walls of the main residence, and the back entrance to the building is illuminated from within from an overlarge chandelier visible through floor to ceiling glass that spans the two-floors. From out here, Yoongi can see a beautiful staircase leading upstairs, a centerpiece table with a giant vase holding an equally grand arrangement of flowers and not much else.</p><p> </p><p><em>Clearly</em>, the Kims are minimalists. He laughs at the joke in his head, resolving not to tell it to Namjoon lest it offends him. Not that he thinks it would, but still.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing about this place is minimal and he hasn’t even seen the front face of it yet! The rest of the structure aside from the visible foyer, from what Yoongi can see, is covered in beautiful, preserved brick. If this place were a person, they would have not a single hair out of place. Even the greenery that frames the house has been carefully shaped to look impeccable.</p><p> </p><p>He lets Namjoon take his hand and lead him toward the house, stopping only when they see a young, sharply dressed man with perfect hair walk through the foyer and toward the doors. Namjoon doesn’t hesitate to keep walking, but it doesn’t seem like he knows the man.</p><p> </p><p>As they reach the double doors, the man opens them and smiles.</p><p> </p><p>“Welcome home, Mr. Kim.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hello…” Namjoon trails off.</p><p> </p><p>“Jung Jaehyun, sir, at your service. I’m Mr. Lee’s assistant estate manager and also the manor’s personal shopper.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles. “You must be new.”</p><p><br/><br/>Jaehyun smiles softly, “Quite new. I only just received the tour myself a couple of days ago.” He turns to Yoongi. “And you must be Mr. Kim’s husband. We’re so happy to have you here.”</p><p> </p><p>He seems a little young to be working as an assistant estate manager, but who is Yoongi to judge? Plus, he’s handsome.</p><p> </p><p>They follow Jaehyun into the house.</p><p> </p><p>“What about our bags?” Yoongi asks, trying to keep up with the two. Curse these tall men with long legs.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, either Jooheon-ssi or Changkyun-ssi will bring them to your room after they take the car to the car garage. Yoongi’s head spins. <em>Car garage?</em></p><p> </p><p>“Jaehyun-ssi, is Myungsoo around?” Namjoon asks, walking through the halls of the house as if he knows them intimately. He probably does, considering he married a stranger just to keep this place out of his family’s clutches.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s helping Haewon-sonsaengnim and his assistants with the horses. He said he would hurry over soon. Everyone else is waiting for you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Everyone?” Yoongi asks.</p><p> </p><p>They soon step into what looks like a hotel’s lobby but is really a living “room,” if a room the size of an apartment could even be considered that. Fancy couches and chairs are scattered around, occupied by what looks like the entire population of Boseong. As soon as the crowd sees Namjoon, there’s a flurry of activity.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi finds himself pulled every which way, people speaking over each other to introduce themselves to him until a woman silences the crowd. She must be dear to Namjoon, because he simply walks up to her and gives her a long hug. He suspects this is the lady he called ‘Heeyeon noona.’</p><p> </p><p>When they part she smirks at Namjoon and says, “When were you planning to tell us that your fiancée was not, in fact, a woman? Or that he’s not, in fact, your fiancé anymore?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles widely and turns toward Yoongi, who feels a little like he’s about to be dropped into a shark tank.</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi hyung,” he pulls the older man closer. “I want you to meet someone very special to me. This is Heeyeon noona, the woman who helped raise me while I lived here at the manor.”</p><p> </p><p> “It’s lovely to meet you ma’am.”</p><p> </p><p>“None of that ‘ma’am’ or ‘ajumeoni’ business, sweetheart, you call me ‘noona,’ anything else would make me feel old, and I don’t look old, do I?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi chuckles sincerely. She’s a charmer, this woman. “No, noona.”</p><p> </p><p>"Good. I'm sure you're both very tired, so I'll save the tongue lashing for tomorrow, but don't think we're letting this 'already married' business go unspoken, you hear?" she looks them both in the eye, a bright gleam in her eye. She's feisty and Yoongi likes that. "Have you eaten yet?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” they respond at the same time. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you two hungry? Or would you like to go through introductions first, but this time with people and not rabid animals?” She asks rhetorically, laughing heartily at the reddened faces of the staff who bombarded them in excitement.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon opts for introductions since he’s still feeling a bit queasy from the drive, and Yoongi agrees. Food can wait. He doesn't think he could keep anything down, anyway.</p><p> </p><p>It feels extremely overwhelming to meet so many people at once, when prior to this Yoongi’s interactions with ninety-five percent of the people he met were meaningless. This time, he’s expected to remember those he meets, and the prospect seems daunting. Some of them are familiar to Namjoon, who was here recently, but many of them are new. He meets Heeyeon’s daughter Jeongyeon and the other housemaiden Tzuyu, who is shy but kind.</p><p> </p><p>He also meets the drivers Jaehyun previously mentioned, as well as the manor’s security staff and cooking staff. There’s even a vintner, apparently, and his two apprentices.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t know wine was produced here in Korea,” Yoongi marvels, immediately feeling dumb for making such a stupid remark.</p><p> </p><p>“It isn’t, not at a commercial level. But the conditions here on the southern end of the peninsula lend themselves well to certain kinds of grapes. Currently, we’re in the research and development phase,” explains the vintner, whose name is Lee Hyun.</p><p> </p><p>“With any luck, next year we’ll begin small-scale production efforts,” says one of the apprentices, Qian Kun, if Yoongi remembered his name right. He’s from China and looks both incredibly smart and incredibly friendly. He feels the tension in his shoulders ease a little bit. He’s not the only one here who’s left everything behind to start somewhere new.</p><p> </p><p>“Producing wine was my grandfather’s idea,” Namjoon adds. “We spoke about it before, but I had no idea he’d already hired someone.”</p><p> </p><p>They continue on with introductions, until Yoongi gets whisked away by Jaehyun for a private tour and Namjoon sits down for a chat with a few of the staff. </p><p> </p><p>The tour of the manor is just as exhaustive and impressive as the one Namjoon gave him in Seoul.</p><p> </p><p>Lots of bedrooms, lots of space. The kitchen is massive, large enough that you could cook multiple Chuseok dinners with all the side dishes and still have counter space left. There’s a door that leads to a basement wine cellar and a walk-in pantry that houses ingredients from all over the world.</p><p> </p><p>The kitchen staff patiently explains that they normally cooked on demand for Namjoon’s grandfather, but have taken to cooking at regularly scheduled intervals.</p><p> </p><p>“We also eat communally, we always have. Mr. Kim liked it that way and Namjoon has given us no indication otherwise. Is that all right with you?” the chef, a kind-faced man named Junho, asks nervously.</p><p> </p><p>That anyone would ask him such a question throws him off his center. He’s had so little control over his own life until now, and now control over others’ is practically being thrown at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course,” he supplies. “Don’t let me get in the way of how you do things. Anything you do or decide is perfectly fine with me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I like him already!” grins a young man with flour on his apron. He’s the manor’s pâtissier and he, like Jaehyun, and the manor’s chauffeurs, and practically every man here under the age of 40, is gorgeous. He’d introduced himself, with dramatic flair, as Kihyun. It brought a smile to his face at once when he realized all of these people were trying to impress him. Yoongi’s never been on the receiving end of such flattery.</p><p> </p><p>Still, none of them bring a smile to Yoongi’s face quite like Namjoon, who looks cute even when he’s green around the gills from driving around all day. Yoongi would like to be by his side right now, with everything new he's experiencing taking a toll, but the younger looked frazzled when they'd left him.</p><p> </p><p>They pass him, still in the living room with Heeyeon, chatting quietly. There’s a seriousness to his gaze that puts unease into Yoongi’s chest. </p><p> </p><p>He doesn’t attempt to join the conversation, just follows Jaehyun around the rest of the house, smiling at the appropriate moments to whoever is in the space and nodding at all the information the younger throws his way. There’s no way he’ll remember all of this tomorrow. They make their way upstairs and downstairs, from one end of the house to the other. The only room they skip is Namjoon’s grandfather’s study, which Jaehyun admits they all avoid visiting.</p><p> </p><p>“The staff is understandably still grieving. I never met Mr. Kim, but he was a kind, generous boss from what I understand.”</p><p> </p><p>Maybe that’s the secret behind Namjoon’s kindness. Maybe he learned it here and maybe Seoul is where he feels he can’t show it. Maybe Yoongi’s been receiving all he kindness Namjoon wasn’t able to give to anyone else. The thought makes him sadder than he’ll ever admit.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, they make their way to the library.</p><p> </p><p>“I can show you the gardens and stables tomorrow, if you’d like, but this is the last room in the manor. And my personal favorite,” Jaehyun smiles.</p><p> </p><p>It’s easy to see why. It’s the only room in the manor that spans two floors, with a gorgeous mahogany staircase that leads to the upper deck. Various large windows look out onto the front of the property, providing Yoongi with his very first view of the green tea plantations.</p><p> </p><p>From the back entrance to the manor, it was not evident that the manor sits at the apex of a hill, looking down over green earth that’s so richly colored and vast, even in the twilight, that it fascinates Yoongi more than it scares him.</p><p> </p><p>This is the root of the Kim fortune, as Namjoon explained in the car. These green tea fields are what made the Boseong Kims one of the premier families in Korea.</p><p> </p><p>“Beautiful aren’t they?” A voice chimes melodically to Yoongi’s left.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr. Kim, this is Ten, the manor’s librarian,” Jaehyun introduces. “Ten, this is Mr. Kim.”</p><p> </p><p>“You can call me Yoongi. I’ve already told Jaehyun that Mr. Kim is my husband,” he says smoothly, offering a kind smile to a slight man with mischievous eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Ten is just as gorgeous as the other employees, with round glasses and a cozy looking sweater and fitted slacks. If he weren’t a librarian he would almost certainly be a model, despite his small stature and petite frame. He’s almost cat-like, with a Cheshire grin to match. His smile lights up the room in a way that makes Yoongi almost jealous. Oh to be beautiful, educated, <em>and</em> fashionable.</p><p> </p><p>“Jaehyun doesn’t like to listen to his elders,” Ten smirks mischievously, stealing a glance at the man. “It’s so nice to meet you, Yoongi. I’ve only been here for a few months, but I can help you find your way around the library, or anywhere else you’d like. I’ve been told I’m very...helpful.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi thinks he’s being flirted with for a second, but he dispels the notion quite quickly. He’s not being flirted with, he’s being used as bait. Ten is goading Jaehyun, whose handsome face is turning redder by the second. He almost wants to laugh. He remembers playing these games with men in dark corners, when the stress and anxiety were so high that he though a quick lay with a charismatic stranger would help.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Ten. You have an accent, you’re not Korean, are you?”</p><p> </p><p>Ten smiles radiantly. “No, I’m from Thailand. I’d tell you my real name, but there’s no way you’d ever be able to pronounce it,” he jokes jovially.</p><p> </p><p>Jaehyun mutters something about Ten being a demon from hell rather than Thailand, but Yoongi’s attention turns to the room around them.</p><p> </p><p>“No offense, Ten, but why does this place need a librarian.”</p><p> </p><p>“Seems like your tour guide hasn’t done a proper job of explaining how the manor runs,” Ten teases. Jaehyun sputters behind them as they walk up the staircase to the second floor. The librarian runs his hand lovingly over the spines of the books as he speaks.</p><p> </p><p>“The manor is both a private residence and a public space, in the same way that the green tea fields are privately owned but open for tourism. Before his passing, Mr Kim—the owner of the manor, not your husband—would allow it to be used for educational pursuits and public events. The library is especially popular, as we have visiting scholars from all over Korea and the rest of the world. Mr. Kim collected various precious tomes throughout his life and has one of the top ten most valuable private libraries in Korea. My job is to help visitors find their way around. And the residents of the manor as well,” he says, tugging Yoongi further down the walls filled with books, leaving Yoongi’s tour guide to catch up.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you an avid reader, Yoongi?”</p><p> </p><p>Before he can answer in the negative, Jaehyun places a hand on Ten’s shoulder none too gently.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe we can let Mr. Kim—“</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi,” both Ten and Yoongi correct. Jaehyun sighs.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s let Yoongi rest, Ten. He’s probably tired. This place is big and I’m sure the tour melted his brain.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi nods, “I’m pretty sure I won’t remember any of this tomorrow. I apologize in advance if I forget either of your names.”</p><p> </p><p>Ten tuts, “They should’ve had Yuta give you the tour. He’s <em>very</em> memorable.”</p><p> </p><p>Jaehyun bites his tongue but sends Ten a glare. Namjoon chooses that moment to walk through the door, smiling when he sees Yoongi descending the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you enjoy the tour?” He asks, taking Yoongi’s hand. He resists the urge to shiver at the electricity that passes through him.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” he nods, barely able to stifle his yawn.  “Did you speak to the estate manager?” He’d mentioned to Yoongi that he wanted to speak to the man as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p>He lets Namjoon lead him upstairs through the glass foyer that looks out onto the back of the property. This is Namjoon’s now. He inherited it. And that makes it his too, if only for a little while.</p><p> </p><p>He pays no attention to the room Namjoon pulls him in to. Just goes over to his bag that was brought up for him and grabs his sleep clothes. He falls asleep almost the minute they get into bed, not even minding when Namjoon’s breathing gets heavier and heavier. If anything, his snoring is almost soothing.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There's an overabundance of the word "kind/kindness" in this chapter, I know, but as someone who has often felt the lack of it deeply, when I notice it, I really notice it, and in my mind Yoongi is the same. We focus on the things we've been deprived of for long periods of time.</p><p>I'd like to apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I know it might be perceived as a filler chapter, but I really wanted to get these characters right and describe the manor in a way that does justice to its image in my head. I also don't ever want to rush this thing between Yoongi and Namjoon, because I don't think it makes for a good story to iron out all the kinks and then fabricate drama for the sake of it. Rest assured, there will be LOTS of drama to come, but it will come at a later time and it has all been planned. </p><p>Also, a question for you, lovely readers: Would it be helpful to you if I made something like a chart of all the characters and their roles in the manor? Like I said, our character list will get longer and I don't want anyone who isn't familiar with groups outside of BTS to get confused. Let me know what you think! :)</p><p>Finally...</p><p>THANK YOU! to everyone who has commented. Truly I would not be working this hard during such a busy period in my life if it weren't for your encouragement. YOU are what keeps this story going so please don't hesitate to give feedback.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. He'd Like an Aquarium</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you haven't already, you should check out the updated first chapter of this story that tells you who is who, in case you get confused. Also, look up Yoongi at MAMA 2016 to get an idea of the outfit I describe near the end of this chapter :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They meet the groundskeeper’s assistants again the next morning (Yoongi barely remembers meeting them last night), courtesy of Ten and Jaehyun. The latter is most definitely not happy that the former decided to join them, especially when Ten flirts shamelessly with Jungwoo over talk of weeding out the gardens. Jungwoo and Taeil give them a basic tour of all the gardens while Mansik, the head groundskeeper and gardener is running errands.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi learns that there is massive upkeep required, but that most of it is outsourced to local gardeners. The groundskeeper, along with Taeil and Jungwoo, really only focus on the manor and special projects. From the way they speak, there seem to be many such projects. Yoongi asks basic questions of the two men, mostly so that it looks like he’s actually interested, but really, he spends most of the tour looking at Namjoon, who seems to actually be fascinated with the manor’s hybrid rose project. It’s quite adorable how his eyes light up.</p><p> </p><p>“Once the project is done, this place will have the garden with the most hybrid rose types outside of Seoul!” Taeil explains brightly.</p><p> </p><p>Before Namjoon can ask fifty million more questions about soil types and weather setbacks, they arrive at the stables. Along with having the biggest library, the most roses, and just about every other superlative, the manor is also home to race-winning horses, or so he learns when Jungwoo bids them goodbye and leaves them in the care of a very friendly-faced young man named Mark.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi learns from Mark that the former stable hands have recently retired, taking Namjoon’s grandfather’s passing as an opportunity to move on. Mark, along with two other new faces, has taken on the role. Yoongi wonders how three young foreigners—none of whom apparently had any idea how to do their jobs before they were hired, according to Mark—ended up at the manor, but he doesn’t question it. Slowly but surely he is beginning to understand that he is not the only person here who needed a life change. It’s nice, in a way, to be among a group of people similarly aged and similarly raised. There are very few people at the manor who went to college or sought any sort of professional training, apparently. Inexperience is not seen as a barrier here, nor is a lack of money or power. That in itself is a comfort, if only because it lessens the pressure of having to seem more worldly and educated than he really is.</p><p> </p><p>At some point, Jeongyeon, the housemaiden Namjoon grew up with comes outside to join them. Yoongi likes her from what little he knows, having just met her last night. He’s reminded of his young female cousins who have no regard for men telling them what to do. She’s refreshing in the way she holds her own, teasing Namjoon despite their completely different social standing.</p><p> </p><p>They move as a unit alongside the stable hands, Jeongyeon, and their two bickering tour guides to the front of the property. It’s even more impressive in the morning light. When Namjoon had suggested coming here as a pseudo-honeymoon to do damage control, Yoongi hadn’t expected to find such a fantastic view.</p><p> </p><p>From the manor’s front steps, the green tea fields look like they go on for miles. Come to think of it, they might. Yoongi’s never thought to ask Namjoon just how much land his family owns in Boseong. The answer is probably something ridiculous, so maybe he won’t ever ask. It’s really worth a lot, this Kim family manor.</p><p> </p><p>They scatter in different directions after Yoongi gets a good view of the front of the manor, everyone returning to their work. He faces Namjoon’s inheritance, with its splendid front gates and a façade that looks more like that of a museum than a person’s home. If he seems uncomfortable, Namjoon does not mention anything about it. He allows himself to be led back inside.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The plan was originally for them to stay a week, as a sort of apology to Heeyeon and Myungsoo for marrying without their knowledge. It’s a sweet gesture that shows just how highly Namjoon regards these caretakers—especially in light of how little he regards his own parents—but there are aspects neither of them considered, such as the degree to which Namjoon is busy.</p><p> </p><p>They meet with Grandfather Kim’s lawyer, Mr. Moon, that evening after dinner. Though they don’t have the marriage license yet, their marriage is a matter of public record and is reflected in the Seoul’s city hall marriage register, therefore, the manor is now Namjoon’s. Yoongi does little more than sit around as Namjoon and the lawyer discuss terms and agreements, very nearly falling asleep as talk of inheritance turns to talk of exports and eco-tourism. He rouses out of his stupor when Namjoon nudges him and indicates that he also needs to sign on the inheritance documents.</p><p> </p><p>Grandfather Kim had specified in the will that Namjoon was to decide whether his partner would have any ownership of the manor, and it seems he’s decided in the affirmative. Yoongi feels uneasy about that decision. It’s just one more thread they’ll need to untangle or rip apart at some point in the near future. Besides, Yoongi’s pretty sure this place will never feel <em>his</em>. He’s just an imposter among honest people, all of them working earnestly to keep the Kim family in good standing.</p><p> </p><p>“I wish you two the happiest of unions,” Mr. Moon says as he walks out. Yoongi smiles and staves off a yawn. It’s so tiring, all of the inner workings of inheriting property. In some ways, it seems as tiring as not having anything to one’s name. Too much or too little of anything is always tiring.</p><p> </p><p>They make their way to bed almost immediately after, and by the time Yoongi wakes up the next morning, Namjoon is already off, doing god knows what about the manor. This pseudo-honeymoon is starting to feel like they haven’t left Seoul at all. Yoongi is still alone all the time while his new husband works. Luckily, it seems that the manor staff are far more willing to beg off their work to accompany him than the hired help back in Gangnam.</p><p> </p><p>Jeongyeon and Tzuyu find him as he makes his way toward the library to take up Ten’s offer of a good book recommendation. He hasn’t read too many books in his lifetime, being far too busy for it. The girls immediately steer him outside instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you been to the fields, oppa?” Jeongyeon asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Eonnie! Don’t be so familiar, he is our boss,” Tzuyu admonishes in furious whispers. Yoongi can’t help but smile. The Taiwanese girl is terribly sweet, and so clearly innocent even if dire circumstances must have led her to come all the way to Korea to work. She’s one of the few people here who haven’t offered up information of her life before coming here, and for that he feels some weird kind of kinship. Yoongi isn’t ashamed of his past life, but it is uncomfortable to bring up in conversation. How do you explain things like hunger and biting cold showers to people who may have never faced them?</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not your boss, that would be Namjoon. I’m just a visitor, so call me as you like. Just don’t call me sir.”</p><p> </p><p>They walk down the hill, stopping at the gate to have one of the guards stationed at the entry open the gate remotely. He’s tall, and handsome (Yoongi almost rolls his eyes at the fact that not even the security guards here look like gremlins. They’re all Calvin Klein models, which is obnoxious, to say the least). As they walk out, Jeongyeon smiles dazzlingly and says, “Thanks, Johnny!” with more charm than Yoongi imagined she possessed for the male sex. They walk down swiftly, with Yoongi sparing a prayer that they’ll be able to climb back up the hill just as quickly. It’s so steep and he’s forgotten what it’s like to be on his feet constantly.</p><p> </p><p>The entrance to the green tea fields is directly ahead of the path leading up to the manor, a massive wooden door that looks set to open any minute, judging by the line of tourists waiting in the shade of tall trees that line the road. It’s a relief when they’re allowed entrance a minute before Yoongi and company cross the road, as he isn’t completely comfortable with that big a crowd. Not that they know who he is or would even care, but large droves of people have always annoyed him.</p><p> </p><p>Jeongyeon leads him in the direction opposite the ticket booth, toward a doorway with a sign over it that says “Souvenirs.”</p><p> </p><p>“Chungha!” she calls. A girl with glittery eyeshadow and sky-high heeled boots turns.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s up, girl! What are you doing here?” She looks at Yoongi curiously, “And who is this?”</p><p> </p><p>“You are looking at the new owner of these fields. Namjoon oppa’s husband, Min Yoongi.”</p><p> </p><p>Chungha smiles dazzlingly, her expressive eyes turning into crescents. For someone who works in a small town souvenir shop, she’s very well put together. He suddenly regrets dressing so plainly in a button-up and ripped jeans.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello Mr. Min! Or is it Kim? Anyway, welcome!”</p><p> </p><p>“What with all the noise?” A voice calls from the back. “I was on the phone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sunmi eonnie! Come meet your new boss!” Chungha calls.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi frowns. “I’m not really comfortable being called anyone’s boss. I’m just visiting. I have no say in anything.”</p><p> </p><p>Jeongyeon snorts. “Oh please, we all saw Joonie oppa’s moon eyes the first night. You could tell him to burn this place to the ground and it would be gone by tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi disagrees, but doesn’t say anything out loud. Instead, he’s introduced yet again, this time to Sunmi, one of the two production managers in charge of the plantation. He feels slightly intimidated, honestly. Sunmi is both exceedingly gorgeous and exceedingly qualified. If she hadn’t mentioned her girlfriend in Daegu offhand, he might have even felt a little jealous at the thought of Namjoon having to meet with her to discuss the business. (Not that he would EVER admit that, even under pain of death.)</p><p> </p><p>He accepts a tour of the fields, marveling at their beauty despite the chilly weather.</p><p> </p><p>“Is it all for export?” He asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Not all of it,” Sunmi answers, leading him deeper into the fields, up toward a hill that she claims has the best view of the valley. He silently questions this, because the view from the manor is already quite spectacular. Also, he hates walking uphill and isn’t really eager to do it. “We sell some of it for processing here in Korea and we also package a small quantity ourselves for an elite clientele that like to have the finest quality leaves for tea. We sell some to restaurants in town, as well. Our operations are quite small compared to others here in Boseong, but we’re very much respected due to our history.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s…impressive,” he states. What else can you say when faced with a marvel of human ingenuity? The Boseong Kims were clearly ahead of their time to cash in on such a lucrative business so long ago.</p><p> </p><p>Sunmi hums in agreement. “I’m sure Namjoon has already told you, but would you like to know more about the plantation? How it came to be?”</p><p> </p><p>“He actually hasn’t told me much about this place at all, or his family’s history with it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I’m sure he won’t mind if I do. It’s all a matter of public record, anyway. We tell the Kim family story during all our tours.”</p><p> </p><p>They reach the apex of the hill and Yoongi understands what she meant about the view. From up here, he can see just how far the fields of green tea plants extend. To his left in the distance, towering above anything else, is the manor, looking both regal and oppressive. To his right, smaller hills, with the terraced green tea plants dominate the scene. Even this late in the year, they look beautiful and pristine.</p><p> </p><p>According to the official story, the Kims of Boseong made their money in tea farming long before Boseong ever became famous for it. Originally, there were just 500 acres of planted green tea, owned by a man named Kim Youngsoo. This man, Namjoon’s great great grandfather found the soil of the southern end of the peninsula to be of optimal conditions for tea farming. He planted his wife’s favorite green tea varieties and gained popularity quickly, first among locals and later among city dwellers, who came to drink the best tea in all of Korea at the Kim’s teahouse.</p><p> </p><p>But tea alone doesn’t make one rich, and Namjoon’s great great grandmother Mirae was the daughter of a rich landowner and also a pragmatist. She used their profits from the plantation to invest abroad and made it back tenfold. Then she bought up more land in Boseong and expanded their operation, beginning a cycle of wealth unlike any before it. It was with that money that they erected Kim Manor, a ten-bedroom, well-guarded mansion tucked away behind green tea-covered hills on a sprawling estate from which they could watch over their property.</p><p> </p><p>When the time came, Namjoon’s great great grandparents retired to their home and allowed their only child, Kim Minjoon, to take over the family business. Namjoon’s great grandfather was as hardworking as his parents, but he was not strong enough to thwart the seizure of his parents’ land and home by the Japanese after the annexation of Korea. Instead, he fled Korea for America with his wife and only son, Kim Taewook-aka Namjoon's grandfather-protecting the family fortune in this way.</p><p> </p><p>Upon returning to Korea with his teenage son after the Japanese retreat, Minjoon discovered that Boseong had been mostly destroyed by the invasion. Choosing to cut their losses and not needing the money anyway, the Kims sold most of the land and settled for fifty-acres only. They would later re-expand their acreage under Taewook’s ownership, but they would never regain their former domination in green tea production. Not that they needed to, they were extremely wealthy anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Taewook helped his father rebuild his grandparents’ manor from the ground up, laying the new foundations himself, brick-by-brick, intending it to remain in the family for future generations. He later named the estate <em>Noksaek Cheonguk</em>, literally “green heaven,” and opened the plantation to tourists, sensing that the novelty of a boutique tea plantation with a strong history and prime views would be enough to keep him in competition with the other tea farmers in Boseong.</p><p> </p><p>“And he was right!” Sunmi says. “All these years later, the plantation is still a must-see destination in the region.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wow,” Yoongi says stupidly. He can’t think of anything to say, really. He doesn’t find capitalism terribly inspiring, in all honesty. But good for them. “How long have you been working here?” he asks after a brief silence.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve been here for three years now, but I’ve only just been promoted, along with Hyuna. The previous manager was….” She trails off, trying to think of the word. “A bit traditional.”</p><p> </p><p>“Meaning?”</p><p> </p><p>“He had the ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ mentality. Which is fine, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so many ways to revive our clientele. The first thing we did when we took over was improve our social media presence. And hire young people.”</p><p> </p><p>“I did notice your tour guides are pretty young.” Yoongi has seen at least four young people in staff shirts, all of whom look like high-schoolers.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, a few of them are taking gap years, others are working while they wait to re-take the college entrance exam. And soon we’ll have college students from Suncheon and Gwangju working part-time during their breaks from school. We hope that will help revitalize this place a bit.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds like you have a lot of great ideas.” He leaves it at that.</p><p> </p><p>By the end of the tour—where he meets several of the tour guides and promptly forgets every single one of their names—Yoongi is starving, so he allows the girls to lead him back up to the manor, annoyed at the way his hair sticks to his forehead from the heat.</p><p> </p><p>“We were gone longer than we should’ve been! What if your mother gets mad?” Tzuyu worries.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry about it. Yoongi oppa will vouch for us, won’t you?” Jeongyeon bats her eyelashes at him ridiculously. He scoffs jokingly.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re on your own here, kid.” But he still nods diligently when Jeongyeon tells her mother where they’ve been and even makes sure to mention how much he’d wanted to go down there. Heeyeon noona looks at him like she doesn’t believe him, but lets them off the hook anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Just as he’s following the girls into the kitchen for some food, he spots Namjoon in the foyer they entered that first night, tugging at the leaves of the fresh flowers that have been placed in the giant vase on the center table. He looks to be deep in conversation, startling a bit when he sees Yoongi leaning by the doorway.</p><p> </p><p>He smiles, so Yoongi smiles awkwardly as well, miming eating and then quirking his head in question. Namjoon must understand the unspoken <em>do you want to eat something? </em>because he nods and says a quick goodbye to the other person on the line.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, hyung. I haven’t seen you today. What have you been up to?” They fall into step together, heading toward the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>“Jeongyeon and Tzuyu took me to down to the green tea fields. I met Sunmi and some others.”<br/><br/></p><p>Namjoon frowns. “I wanted to take you myself. I’ve just been so busy. There were a lot of matters left unsettled here after my grandfather died. Plus, I keep getting calls from work, despite being on vacation.”</p><p> </p><p>“Was that a work call, then?” he asks. Namjoon stops at his side, so Yoongi does the same. He must not want anyone in the kitchen to hear, they’re practically there already.</p><p> </p><p>“No, it was my sister.” Namjoon doesn’t seem particularly angry or pleased, so Yoongi doesn’t know if he should be offering comfort or congratulations. He had seemed sad on the day his sister left after seeing Yoongi at the apartment, but Namjoon’s family dynamics aren’t something he’s particularly keen to dive into unless the younger offers them up himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Is everything okay?” he settles on asking.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, actually. I explained the situation to her, and she’s come around. She was just very upset that she wasn’t there when we got married. But she’s not angry anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>“So you didn’t tell her…everything?” He looks around, hoping no one is around to hear. This secret they’re trying to keep is a house of cards waiting to fall.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles wanly. “No. I love my sister very much, but I don’t trust her to keep my truths to herself. Don’t misunderstand, she’s not malicious, but she still seems to think our parents love us unconditionally and have our best interests at heart.”</p><p> </p><p>“And you?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon tilts his head.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you think? About your parents,” Yoongi clarifies.</p><p> </p><p>“I…I’m still not sure. I’d like to think they’re good people who are just corrupted by greed. Maybe they can be rehabilitated. But a stronger part of me understands that this is just who they are. They’ve never acted like they love me with no strings attached. And I’m a little too old to believe in fairy tales. People don’t usually change for the better.”</p><p> </p><p>It’s true, in Yoongi’s opinion. People don’t usually change. He nods and holds out his hand. It’s better for them to look united and loved up. This is supposed to be their “honeymoon,” after all.</p><p> </p><p>“Before I forget, Hoseok picked up the certificate. He’s going to email me a copy so we can submit it to the website and have our profiles deleted. I was thinking we could do it together, tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure,” Yoongi squeezes his hand. They walk toward the laughter booming from the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Yoongi’s pretty sure he’s not supposed to eavesdrop when he catches Heeyeon and Namjoon bickering after dinner, but to be fair, he’s looking for the younger so they can go do that thing they spoke about earlier and it’s not his fault his ears metaphorically perk up at the sound of his name.</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi wouldn’t like something like this,” Namjoon reasons.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, he’s marrying into the Kim family, and there’s nothing the Kims do better than this. He should know what he’s gotten himself into.”</p><p> </p><p>He hears an exasperated sigh and feels lead in his stomach. Whatever they’re talking about, Yoongi’s pretty sure he’s not going to like it. Namjoon doesn’t know him perfectly yet, but there’s a level of understanding between them already. If he says Yoongi wouldn’t like this, then he probably won’t.</p><p> </p><p> He hears a door open down the hall and decides to make his presence known. He’s not about to be caught snooping. If Jeongyeon hears about it, she’ll be smug. He doubles back and makes sure his footsteps are heavier than usual, calling out Namjoon’s name in the hope that the two will hear him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung, we’re in here!”</p><p> </p><p>He enters the room, smiling when he sees Heeyeon. He hopes he doesn’t seem suspicious, but neither of them do more than glance in his direction. It almost seems like they’re having a stare off. Eventually, Namjoon caves.</p><p> </p><p>“Noona was just telling me they had a surprise gift for us.” He wrings his hands, which indicates to Yoongi that he’s not particularly keen on receiving this gift.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re throwing you a wedding ceremony!” she beams. Yoongi feels a headache coming on, but smiles weakly. He can’t seem ungrateful.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s so…great. Thank you,” he says.</p><p> </p><p>“I already told her you don’t want that,” Namjoon admits, and Yoongi feels himself deflate like a hot air balloon.<br/><br/></p><p>“I mean, it’s really kind of you, but you really don’t have to do that. We already had a ceremony.”</p><p> </p><p>Heeyeon dismisses the fact easily. “That was a city hall ceremony. Doesn’t count. You two need a real wedding. Just because it was rushed doesn’t mean it needs to be so…cold. Don’t you want to celebrate properly? With people who care about you?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi has several answers to that question, ranging from <em>what is there to celebrate? </em>to <em>who actually cares about me or this marriage?</em> but keeps his mouth shut. He turns to Namjoon instead.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll do whatever you want to do. I don’t mind either way.”</p><p> </p><p>The younger man looks like he could kill him, but Yoongi just smiles. He’s not going to call the shots here, this is Namjoon’s domain and it was his decision to come down to Boseong in the first place. He watches the younger rub his eyes before turning to his former caretaker.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, noona. You win. We can have a ceremony.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi allows them to continue their conversation while he goes to get ready for bed. Namjoon shows up in their room about forty minutes later as Yoongi changes into his sleep clothes. He looks as tired as Yoongi feels.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s delete out profiles on the website now. I’m pretty tired. Once we do that, I’ll go shower.”</p><p> </p><p>“You could do that now, I don’t mind waiting,” Yoongi offers.</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon smiles ruefully, “I know I’ll fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow, and my snoring isn’t something most people can deal with. I’m giving you the option to fall asleep before me so I don’t keep you awake at night.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi chuckles. “Ever the gentleman, Namjoon.” The other shrugs.</p><p> </p><p>They take turns logging onto their own accounts on Namjoon’s laptop, clicking the button for “Account Deletion” in the settings. It’s simply a matter of answering a few questions and uploading the PDF of their marriage certificate that Hoseok sent Namjoon. They get matching emails saying that their accounts will be deleted upon review in 1-3 business days.</p><p> </p><p>Just like that, their dirty little secret has one less string hanging loose, dangling in the air, waiting for someone two unravel the whole charade. Yoongi takes Namjoon up on his suggestion, burying himself under the duvet that smells like a combination of the two of them. Yoongi smiles secretly at that.</p><p> </p><p>Sleep doesn’t come, and he finds himself faking slumber as the younger climbs into bed next to him. Soon, the rumbling starts. Yoongi thinks for a few minutes that he’s doomed. Namjoon truly is a chainsaw. But eventually, the steady rhythm of the other’s din lulls him, as unlikely as that seems. Maybe Yoongi is just getting used to it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The ceremony is set for Saturday, the day before they leave back to Seoul, so Yoongi still has some time before he has to play the “happy couple getting hitched” role with Namjoon again. He puts it to the back of his mind, choosing to take advantage of his time at the manor. He might never come back here. Namjoon’s under no obligation to allow him back here even though his name is technically listed under its ownership. And Yoongi wouldn’t push his luck anyway.</p><p> </p><p>It’s a little hard to relax in the meantime, though. No matter what Yoongi does, there’ always someone around, wanting to show him something, give him something, and generally just coddle him. It’s so unlike his life previously that he finds himself feeling suffocated by it all. At the end of the day, he’s an independent person who is used to doing things for himself. This life of being looked after every second isn’t what he knows or necessarily wants. He’s the caretaker, not the other way around.</p><p> </p><p>So, he finds himself spending his days in the library of all places. Ten, at least, is far less deferential than everyone else who works here. It’s a welcome change.</p><p> </p><p>“You and I,” Ten says in the middle of a lazy afternoon, “We fend for ourselves.”</p><p> </p><p>Of all the places Yoongi could be in such a grand estate, the library is what he chooses over and over again despite not caring much for books. That’s one more thing he and Ten have in common.</p><p> </p><p>“I wanted to be a dancer or an artist, but my father refused. Our family was well-off, very respected. He said no son of his could do something so low-class,” Ten scoffs</p><p> </p><p>“So how did you end up becoming a librarian? It doesn’t really seem like your dream job.”</p><p> </p><p>“My father said I needed to go to college and get a degree in something useful. I agreed, simply because the university I was accepted into had a great dance program. I figured I could study dance and something more “respectable” at the same time. I’m sure he was expecting me to study law or medicine, but the minute I realized I could study library science, I signed up. It was really just a way for me to fuck with him. When I pointed out that he never specified what fields were ‘useful’ or not, he threatened to kick me out.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m guessing you stuck to your guns?”</p><p> </p><p>“I left that same night. I found a job at a library while I continued my studies, and I realized that working as a librarian was one of the better occupations I could find. On slow days, I worked on my art, and I was never too tired after work and class to skip the dance studio. It was as good as I could get. Not everyone gets to continue doing what they love.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi considers that. As a child, he dreamt of studying music or architecture. He had dreams of being a professional basketball player. He was never given the chance, but maybe he could have fought for his dreams. It’s all irrelevant now, though. Life took him in a different direction.</p><p> </p><p>“What was your dream? What did you love to do?” Ten asks curiously.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi thinks for a moment. The truth is better than a lie, but it’s also a bitter pill.</p><p> </p><p>“I couldn’t afford to have dreams, and I never had anything long enough to love it” is what he settles on.</p><p> </p><p>Ten whistles, “Well, then I guess it’s just your luck that you married a man who can afford anything, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi snorts. He’ll never have Namjoon long enough to love whatever the man gives him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Namjoon wakes Yoongi up early on Friday and asks for a favor.</p><p> </p><p>“Heeyeon noona and Myungsoo wanted me to help them interview candidates for the open security position we have, but I set up a last minute meeting with Hyuna and Sunmi. Would you mind helping them, hyung?”</p><p> </p><p>“Me? I don’t even live here,” Yoongi reasons. He brushes the sleep from his eyes and looks up to find Namjoon already fully dressed. He allows himself to be pulled out of bed, Namjoon taking both his hands in his own. He tries not to blush at the contact. “How can I hire someone to work here when I don’t even know what this place needs?”</p><p> </p><p>“I trust your judgement. You’ve worked extremely hard all your life, hyung. I don’t doubt you’ll find someone with a similar work ethic suited for the job.” The soft squeeze of Namjoon's grip around his own is encouraging.  </p><p> </p><p>Heeyeon and Myungsoo (who very much intimidates Yoongi with his serious demeanor, despite never once being mean or rude) sit him down in a small room off to the side of the huge living room. It looks much more private than the latter, and for that, Yoongi is thankful. He’s never been on the other end of the hiring process, and he doesn’t want to make a fool of himself where anyone might see.</p><p> </p><p>For the most part, he follows the other two’s lead. He maintains a careful poker face for each applicant, accepting a copy of their resume, asking basic questions while Heeyeon and Myungsoo are far more inquisitive. In his opinion, Yoongi likes the tall kid from China, despite his unnerving omnipresent smile. No one should be that happy all the time. But he’s CPR certified and he has prior experience in security work. As a bonus, he’s hot and he’s proficient in martial arts. For one lewd second, Yoongi thinks he wouldn’t mind being saved by him if the situation called for it. Heeyeon and Myungsoo seem to agree that he’s the right person for the job, if the smiles they all exchange as the man leaves are anything to go by.</p><p> </p><p>As far as he's is concerned, it’s a done deal. Until the next applicant arrives. Yoongi almost gets the urge to ask if there’s been a mistake. The young man that enters looks extremely nervous and extremely frail. He’s wearing a University of Suncheon sweatshirt and ripped jeans. Not that Yoongi particularly cares, but it’s an interesting choice. His hands shake as he hands Yoongi a copy of his resume. He’s an urban development student with no prior security work and no relevant skills. The name at the top of the resume reads “Lee Taeyong.”</p><p> </p><p>“Please forgive me, I didn’t have time to get dressed. Someone told me about the position just this morning and I rushed to get here. I don’t have a car so I had to take the bus.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi recognizes the nervous fidgeting, the unsure lip biting. Taeyong stutters through his answers almost every time a question is asked. The situation is almost painful to witness, and Yoongi recognizes that it’s equally painful to live it. Whoever this kid is, he needs help in the same way Yoongi needed it before he met Namjoon.</p><p> </p><p>“How old are you?” he asks during a brief pause.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m about to be 21,” Taeyong answers.</p><p> </p><p>“And you’re not finished with university yet?”</p><p> </p><p>Taeyong’s head hangs. “No, I, uh—I had to drop out.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why?”</p><p> </p><p>Taeyong’s eyes scrunch up like he's recalling a particularly painful memory. Yoongi recognizes the posture, the overwhelming sense of helplessness, like every bad thing that could happen is doing so right now.</p><p> </p><p>“M-my parents passed away two months ago in a crash. They left me with my baby brother. I need a job, I can’t let him get taken away. I’m all he has and he’s all I have.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi exchanges a glance with Heeyeon and realizes what she’s thinking. It’s truly a terrible tragedy that Taeyong’s faced, but he’s not the right man for this job. It brings up memories Yoongi has tried to suppress. Of all the times he answered job ads while fully knowing he would never be considered qualified. But desperation breeds determination, and Yoongi was always determined. Briefly, he ponders what Namjoon would have done if he were here instead of him. The longer he spends time with his new husband, the more he thinks that maybe Namjoon is a far kinder person than he’d first believed. Maybe he'd do what Yoongi is thinking of doing. Myungsoo asks a few more questions before turning to Yoongi and Heeyeon.</p><p> </p><p>“Are we done?” he asks.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi racks his brain, but fails to immediately come up with something. He can’t let Taeyong leave yet.</p><p> </p><p>“Taeyong-ssi, would you mind stepping outside for a moment?” Yoongi asks, Heeyeon’s knowing smile in his peripheral vision. She offers to escort him outside, offering him a drink and snack.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi turns to Myungsoo. He knows so little about this man in comparison to everyone else here, seeing him so rarely. He's a busy man, making sure the manor's matters run smoothly. He’s a hard worker as well. Very dedicated to the Kim family, which does make Yoongi a bit wary, since he's an outsider to them. But Namjoon cares for the man, and that’s reason enough for Yoongi to try and respect his opinion. However, he cannot in good conscience let Taeyong leave here without a job. It wouldn’t be right. He speaks first.</p><p> </p><p>“He isn’t qualified for this position,” he sighs.</p><p> </p><p>Myungsoo smiles sympathetically. “No, he is not.”</p><p> </p><p>“We can’t give him the job.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be right, sir.” Yoongi refrains from cringing at the title. He hates it.</p><p> </p><p>“You know I can’t let him leave, right? He’s just a kid. With all that life’s thrown at him, in this moment he’s still just a kid, looking for some help.” Yoongi meets the older man’s eyes despite being terrified, hoping to see some compassion in them. He sees more than he expected.</p><p> </p><p>“I think…” Myungsoo begins, smiling at Yoongi like an indulgent grandfather. It doesn’t rub him the wrong way like it usually would because it's not a condescending look, “that master Kim would be very happy indeed to know he’s married someone as wonderfully kind-hearted as yourself, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>“You won’t stop me?” His eyebrows shoot up. Is everything going to be this easy from now on?</p><p> </p><p>“As long as you can figure out some sort of employment for the young man, I see no reason why he should leave here without it,” Myungsoo says with finality.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi nods and asks to speak with Taeyong alone, which the man respects. It’s only a minute before he’s joined by the younger, but it’s enough to give Yoongi an idea. Taeyong comes back with his shoulders slumped. The expectation of rejection so clear in his body language. He sits silently, not meeting Yoongi’s eyes.</p><p> </p><p>He runs a hand over his face and says,  “Look Taeyong, as much as I would like to hire you for this position, I don’t think you fit the bill for this job.”</p><p> </p><p>Taeyong’s eyes cloud and he begins stammering, no doubt about to beg. Yoongi’s been in his position before and it fills him with dread to be the one to hold this power over someone else.</p><p> </p><p>He continues quickly, “But, something tells me that you’re adaptable, and I can relate to your situation more than you know. It wouldn’t be right of me to let you walk away right now, given your circumstances. So, here’s the offer I’m willing to make: you are going to be the manor’s new project developer.”</p><p> </p><p>He explains this new position abstractly, refraining from giving any major details. Simply put, Taeyong will come up with ways to implement a host of changes Namjoon and Yoongi “plan” to make around the estate. Yoongi fails to mention that there are no such changes currently in the works. But he’s confident he can sway Namjoon, considering the younger’s words this morning and Taeyong’s extenuating circumstances. It’s not like he’s unqualified. Worst case scenario, the kid leaves the manor with paid work experience that will make up for his lack of degree. Best case scenario, this becomes a stepping stone, he finishes his education, and he builds a better life for himself and his brother.</p><p> </p><p>Taeyong nearly breaks down, thanking Yoongi over and over again.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t thank me yet. You might end up hating it.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s work, that’s all I need. Really, thank you,” Taeyong smiles tearfully.</p><p> </p><p>“Would you be able to stop by tomorrow? We’re having an event around midday, but maybe you could come by in the morning to meet my husband and we’ll talk more specifically.”</p><p> </p><p>Taeyong frowns apologetically. “I’d have to find someone to watch my brother. I’ve been relying on friends to help me out but they all have different schedules.”</p><p> </p><p>“Bring him along. There’s more than enough people here to look after a child.”</p><p> </p><p>He leads Taeyong out and makes his way toward the staff’s quarters, hoping to find either Heeyeon or one of the housemaidens to inform them of the need for childcare tomorrow. It’s not until he reaches the hallway that leads to the staff’s space that he hears yelling coming from the opposite end of the hall. Before he even has time to think about who could be making such noise in Namjoon’s grandfather’s study, the door is opened hard enough to slam against the opposite wall, startling Yoongi.</p><p> </p><p>A man, older than Namjoon but still young, walks out angrily. Yoongi can tell the moment this stranger sees him, because the man does a double-take and then zeroes his gaze on him. All his life, Yoongi has had to deal with pushy assholes. People who think their time, money, and self-worth are much more valuable than his. He knows how to deal with them and their expectations and insults. However, this is different. The man who walks up to Yoongi isn’t just some rich asshole. He assesses as much from the man’s gaze and Namjoon rushing to his side, placing himself directly between the two of them.</p><p> </p><p>“So this is the person you’ve married, Namjoon-ah.” His gaze never leaves Yoongi’s despite the person between them. While normally he wouldn’t hesitate to speak up for himself, the glint in the man’s eyes tells Yoongi he’d do better by standing down.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, this is my husband, hyung-nim.” Namjoon answers coldly, standing to his full height. He’s only a few inches taller than his cousin, but the confidence in his stance allows Yoongi to relax for a second. Namjoon said he wouldn’t let anything happen to Yoongi and he trusts him to keep that promise.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a real dog, Namjoon,” his cousin whistles, “To bring someone so frail into the family. They’ll tear him apart, you know.” His smirk reminds Yoongi of a shark. He’s sniffing for blood. Hoping to instill dread in Yoongi. It almost works.</p><p> </p><p>“My husband is more than capable of handling threats, hyung-nim. Not that I would ever let anyone harm him. He is an owner of this property, after all.”</p><p> </p><p>The cousin’s face loses any lingering traces of mock civility, cruelty taking the reins behind his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“You think you’ve won, Kim Namjoon. You silly, little leech. I’ll be back for what’s rightfully mine. This sham won’t hold up in court. This is <em>my</em> inheritance,” he grits out.</p><p> </p><p>“No, it isn’t. But you’re welcome to spend mounds of money on legal fees trying to prove it.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi sighs as the man storms off, only shivering slightly when Namjoon turns to him and grabs his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Forgive me, that was my cousin Minseok, Seokjin’s older brother. He seems to think he is the rightful heir of the manor.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is he?”</p><p> </p><p>“Absolutely not. My grandfather left a will for a reason.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is he dangerous?” Yoongi bites his bottom lip.</p><p> </p><p>“Not if he knows what’s good for him. But don’t worry about him. He’s not nearly as intelligent as he thinks he is. Were you looking for me? Did you need something?”</p><p> </p><p>He remembers why he came over in the first place. “Yes, actually. I did something.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon quirks an eyebrow. “What kind of thing?” He leads the older into the study, giving Yoongi his first real glimpse into Namjoon’s grandfather’s work space.</p><p> </p><p>“The kind of thing where I hired someone for a job that doesn’t exist.”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh, can you explain in more detail?”</p><p> </p><p>So he does. Namjoon takes it all mostly in stride, though his forehead stays pinched for the entirety of Yoongi’s explanation. By the end of the story, he doesn’t look particularly mad, just confused.</p><p> </p><p>“You hired a project developer despite us having neither need for one nor any projects in mind?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi shrugs, eyes downcast. “I couldn’t let him leave empty-handed. I know what he’s going through, I couldn’t give him yet another reason to lose hope.”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon doesn’t say anything for a while, but then he stands up and moves around the desk to kneel down by Yoongi’s legs.</p><p> </p><p>“Hyung, look at me.” Yoongi meets his gaze, seeing no traces of malice or exasperation. Not that he expected any, he knows better by now. But it’s still a relief to see that Namjoon is truly as understanding as he’d seemed that first day. It’s just in his nature. Yoongi hopes that nothing corrupts it. He lets his husband take both his hands, feeling little pricks of electricity as Namjoon’s thumbs soothe at the backs of his hands.</p><p> </p><p>“You did the right thing. You’re right, he needed help, and I’m glad you didn’t hesitate to give it to him. I guess the only thing to do now is come up with stuff for him to work on.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi sighs. “The idea seemed a lot better in my head.”</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, I may have something. It’s kind of silly…” Yoongi perks up. Nothing Namjoon says could be that silly.</p><p> </p><p>“You know that wall section in the living room with all the paintings?” Yoongi nods.</p><p> </p><p>“When I was younger I thought it would be cool if we could get rid of that and open up the space for an aquarium with lots of different fish and plants. What if we give that to Taeyong as his first project to develop?”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi blinks. “You want to tear up your family mansion to fulfill a childhood dream of having a giant fish tank in the walls?”</p><p> </p><p>Namjoon laughs sheepishly, “Yeah, I guess that’s the gist of what I want.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi cracks a small smile and simply agrees, happy that he has something to give Taeyong.  “Okay, let’s do it!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Saturday morning is hectic, with Namjoon running Taeyong through his ideas and budget plan for a ridiculously elaborate aquarium in the manor’s living room and Heeyeon and several others coming out to greet the new security hire, Yukhei on his first day. The manor staff clearly function as a unit, from what Yoongi can see, despite so many of them being newcomers themselves. Every new entrant is closely examined and welcomed into the fold after initial greetings. Yoongi offers to take Taeyong’s rambunctious little brother, Donghyuck on a short walk to the stables, mostly out of desire for some alone time before the big moment. Truly, he feels a bit suffocated with everyone hanging around.</p><p> </p><p>The groundskeeping staff have set up an area on a grassy bit of lawn behind the manor with chairs and one of those cheesy floral wedding arches. A white carpet runner down the center aisle finishes up the look. It’s perfect for a wedding, but Yoongi hates it all the same. He doesn’t want to go through this a second time. The first was enough.</p><p> </p><p>Donghyuck’s babbling turns to giggles as he watches the horses in their stables, dozing. He hears rather than sees someone come up next to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Yoongi-nim, Mr. Kim Seokjin is here. He says he’s brought your outfit and is insisting you try it on before the ceremony,” Jaehyun says, sounding slightly out of breath but looking no less put together than he always does. He looks dashing in his outfit, and Yoongi absently laments that he'll never look as perfectly as someone like Jaehyun. </p><p> </p><p>He follows the man back toward the house, allowing Jaehyun to take the baby from him with explicit reassurances that he will be returned to his brother. Not that it matters, little Donghyuck makes no fuss when anyone holds him, nor does he complain when random hands reach out to pinch his chubby cheeks. If anything, he seems to love the attention. Seokjin meets him back in the chandeliered foyer, Ten in tow.</p><p> </p><p>“Try this on, immediately!” the actor demands. “Namjoon is an idiot who didn’t think to send me your measurements. I had to eyeball it.”</p><p> </p><p>When Yoongi shoots Ten a questioning look, the librarian smiles. “I have many talents. Tailoring outfits is just one of them. Go try that on. I already have a feeling I’ll need to adjust the hem.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi flips him the bird but does as he’s told. The suit is impressive, dark with a pattern that almost looks like waves. He puts on the crisp white shirt and asks for help with the floppy bowtie. He allows the two resident fashion experts to evaluate the look so far, feeling only a tiny bit anxious from Ten stabbing pins through the hem of his suit pants. The vast majority of his anxiety is from the ceremony due to take place in an hour’s time.</p><p> </p><p>“You came down all this way, hyung?” he asks conversationally, hoping it will rid Seokjin’s eyes of their suspicious gleam.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you kidding? I’d never miss an opportunity to see Namjoon make a fool of himself in front of a boatload of people.”</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi swallows, his mouth ever so dry. “Is it a lot of people?”</p><p> </p><p>Seokjin takes pity. “Don’t worry, it’s just manor staff, me, Taehyungie and possibly Jimin—his best friend—Hoseok, and Namjoon’s sister, Minnie. Oh! And our Aunt Nari, the only other redeemable member of this family.”</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds like a lot of people,” Yoongi scoffs. Ten chuckles as he rises from the ground to hand Yoongi his suit jacket.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re the one who chose to marry an heir.”</p><p> </p><p>By the time Yoongi steps outside, mostly everyone is in their seats. Namjoon meets him by the door, shooing everyone to the ceremony setup and explaining to Yoongi that they’ll walk down the aisle together.</p><p> </p><p>“I know this isn’t really your thing, hyung, but thank you for doing it anyway. Much as I don’t like the spectacle, either, Heeyeon and Myungsoo helped raise me, and it felt wrong to rob them of this moment,” He whispers. Their hands are clasped, a solid, grounding presence. Yoongi is sweating.</p><p> </p><p>“I can see why you care for them so much. They truly love you,” is his response.</p><p> </p><p>“I think with time, they could learn to love you too.”</p><p> </p><p>His heart skips a beat at the thought. That people who aren’t related to him could hold such affection for him. Especially people who love Namjoon. Who is Yoongi by comparison? How could he ever earn their love like Namjoon has? They’re worlds apart. And yet, those words hold weight, now that he’s heard them. Yoongi is only a little regretful that he allows himself to believe such words, knowing that this thing between them has a fixed expiration date. He can't allow himself to believe in a better future when the clock keeps ticking down to the end every second.</p><p> </p><p>They reach the center aisle and he allows himself to pretend. Just for a little bit. Their city hall wedding was clinical, a legal affair mostly. This is a far more intricate ceremony that requires commitment to the fantasy. Yoongi commits. He allows himself to fall into the role of a loving partner, ready to pledge his life to the love of his life. By the time they reach the altar, Yoongi is no longer a mail-order bride purchased for mutual benefit. He is Namjoon’s happy husband.</p><p> </p><p>Like the first time, he mostly zones out during the speeches and ceremonial rites. But the vows are where he dials back in, and allows himself to play his temporary role to the fullest. He meets Namjoon head-on as the younger promises to love and care for him in sickness and in health. He does the same, heart pounding in his chest. The longing is almost unbearable. Yoongi wants this, but he doesn't dare examine whether it's the pomp and circumstance of it all that he craves...or something else. </p><p> </p><p>When the time comes, he speaks his “I do” clearly, with no hesitation. He sees several of their spectators brush discreetly at their cheeks, including Namjoon’s sister.</p><p> </p><p>It’s an abnormally cloudless, mild-weathered November day, here on this heavenly piece of land that Yoongi now partially owns, and when Namjoon leans in to give him their second ever kiss, Yoongi admits to himself that maybe this was a bad idea all along, because it’s impossible not to fall. With Namjoon, it is impossible not to be pulled under a current of love. The cheers and wolf whistles eventually push them apart. Yoongi allows himself a brief moment to settle his thoughts before he lets Namjoon pull him closer and pull him toward the crowd of people hoping to give them their blessing.</p><p> </p><p>Yoongi meets Minah, formally, and is relieved to find she harbors no ill will against him. She even asks to be called Minnie, to which he obliges. He also meets Namjoon’s aunt Nari and her beloved son Jungkook, whom Namjoon jokingly refers to as his favorite cousin. He greets Hoseok and Taehyung warmly, accepting their extremely effusive hugs with only minor complaint. It's only for a bit, after all. He gets passed on to others for hugs and congratulations, thinking to himself that he's glad for the happiness of the moment, if nothing else. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Seokjin steps away from the mass of people around Namjoon and Yoongi, cellphone buzzing in his pocket square. He smiles pleasantly at some of the manor staff who call out to him and holds up a finger to let them know he has to take a call.</p><p> </p><p>“What is it, Joowon?” Only his personal assistant would dare to call him on his off day.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m so sorry to interrupt, Seokjin-nim. But I just got a call from your publicist. There’s going to be a story, soon,” Joowon squeaks. “She couldn’t stop the tabloids from publishing despite offering incentives.”</p><p> </p><p>“What kind of story?” he questions. Seokjin’s no stranger to the tabloid fodder written about him to sell magazines.</p><p> </p><p>“The kind that can be verified. And it involves a marriage.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello all,</p><p>I'm back! And I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this next chapter out, but life just got in the way :( If you're   still waiting patiently for updates on this story, thank you so much! That you enjoy this work is more than I could ever hope for and your comments, feedback, and general support for this story through kudos and other means are the biggest motivation I could think of! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your enthusiasm for this little thing I'm creating, I never once expected so much love for it and it truly makes me want to deliver the best story possible. I hope to god this next chapter won't take a million years, but I promise I am working diligently to get it to you :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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